Our Popular Chataigne (Breadnut) Fruit Is In Great Demand! People Cannot Stop Asking!
By Gitara
@Gita17112016 (3611)
Trinidad And Tobago
October 8, 2017 9:40am CST
Our Chataigne Tree (Breadnut Tree) bears throughout the year. We are blessed like that. In 2 weeks’ time in T&T, we will be celebrating Divali and our family has been bombarded with request for free chataigne fruits. Friends, neighbors, relatives and complete strangers stop and eye our chataigne tree and gauge the fullness of the fruit then politely ask or outright demand the fruit for themselves. A chataigne fruit like this sells for $25.00 - $30.00 TT ($4.16 - $5.00 US each) in the marketplace or in roadside vending.
Curry Chataigne is a popular dish in Trinidad food for Hindu weddings, prayers, festivals observances, birthdays, yagnas (Hindu prayer) and any shop or restaurant. It is a popular vegetarian dish and is a must in all Hindu (and now Christian and Muslim) weddings. It’s preparation for cleaning and cooking is tedious but it is worthwhile to eat this. Some people are just so addicted, including me…but it must be cooked with natural coconut milk. Otherwise it’s just crap tasting. A bad cook can scar you for life.
The demand for chataigne fruit is so high that people ask 6 months in advance for it. My brother share chataigne to people as much as 2 per person or up to 40 per person hosting a wedding or yagna event. My family do not charge money for this fruit on the condition that you cannot sell them over to make money. That’s Southern hospitality. But like the world over, some people are so boldface and demanding, they tell you when and how much they want. We just ignore them. This Divali we will give away this fruit free to over 50 families (over a two week period).
My brother do not allow people to pick fruits because some people’s hand (luck) is not good and the tree will dry up and die. Not everyone has a good hand. So only family members can pick chataigne from our tree. In that way we protect the tree and ensure that it always have a long life.
Have you ever tasted curry chataigne?
Or do you have an all-popular fruit (food) in your country that is a delicacy?
13 people like this
12 responses
@topffer (42156)
• France
9 Oct 17
@Gita17112016 It is a lot bigger than our chestnuts ! A chestnut is also a fruit although it is not very good and has to be cooked to be eaten.
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
9 Oct 17
The fruit is about 6-8 inches in diameter and weight 1-2 lbs. it is packed with seeds and pulp (or a soft membrane) which is edible. It is related to the breadfruit tre. In Trinidad and Guyana it is called chataigne. it has reference to chestnuts but is not a nut...it is a fruit.
It is hard to say what curry chataigne taste like because there is no comparison. But having tasted it, it is an addictive taste (properly cooked). However chataigne fried nuggets taste just like chicken nuggets. it is a vegetarian treat,
1 person likes this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
2 Feb 18
I have never tasted that food but if you send me some I will taste it. 
2 people like this
@1hopefulman (45123)
• Canada
4 Feb 18
@Gita17112016 I have a friend who used to live here and is back in Trinidad and visits twice a year and maybe he could bring some the next time he visits.
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
3 Feb 18
Sure, but aren't you a bit far away? 
1 person likes this
@cahaya1983 (11121)
• Malaysia
8 Oct 17
Wow, I didn't know about this fruit before.You're so lucky to have planted the trees especially since the fruit is so high in demand. How does it taste like after you cook it with coconut milk?
2 people like this
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
8 Oct 17
Yes, we are lucky. But most of the trees are not planted. They just spring up in abundance all over the place and some people cut them down. Chataigne has more that 122 ways to use it.
How does it taste? Hmmm, hard to say! A Trini will say 'more-ish' (meaning you want more to eat) . There is no taste to compare it to. It is in a category by itself.
However if you fried the chataigne as nuggets it taste just like chicken nuggets! No kidding. A treat for vegetarians!
. There is no taste to compare it to. It is in a category by itself.
However if you fried the chataigne as nuggets it taste just like chicken nuggets! No kidding. A treat for vegetarians!2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
8 Oct 17
Sounds interesting. Here in Latvia I have not seen this fruit being sold at market but many exotic fruit does make it to here. I will keep a look out for it. Thanks fro sharing and your breadfruit is wonderful.
2 people like this
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
8 Oct 17
Wow I don't know much about your country but it is amazing to hear that our fruit can be across there too. This chataigne is NOT breadfruit though. It's 'Breadnut". We also have breadfruit here. Do you have a popular food in Latvia? Incidentally, is Latvia an independent country? Thanks.
@RasmaSandra (73444)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
10 Oct 17
@Gita17112016 there are many popular food in Latvia. Yes, it is an independent country.
@Gita17112016 (3611)
• Trinidad And Tobago
9 Oct 17
The tree is very healthy and gorgeous to look at. The preparation of this food is somewhat difficult but well worth it. You can get this in a West Indian store in USA and Canada. But you do have to know how to cook it. Here this fruit is not exotic but rather essential. Almost every house has a tree but not everyone tree bears.
1 person likes this
@prashu228 (37526)
• India
3 Feb 18
Are these fruits found only in your country ? why are they used only in Hindu weddings?
@Letranknight2015 (51532)
• Philippines
9 Oct 17
They look very similar to durian fruit which was really big. I don't know if that fruit is available in my country.
1 person likes this
@responsiveme (22926)
• India
9 Oct 17
Looks like jackfruit but it isn't as I can see the leaves.
We have lots of seasonal fruits here
1 person likes this
