The Breadfruit soup or lasoup friyapen , a thick velvety and hearty soup flavoured with fish stock, garlic and ginger, is an ideal soup served hot or chilled for the cool tropical evenings.
Breadfruit Soup- Lasoup Friyapen
Because of its white colour and creamy texture, it is also described as a breadfruit vichyssoise. A vichyssoise is a thick soup made of boiled and puréed leeks, onions, potatoes, cream, and chicken stock. It is traditionally served cold but it can be consumed hot.
This prickly oval fruit is very popular throughout Seychelles. It is starchy and has a texture similar to a potato and a yeasty scent like freshly baked bread when it’s cooked. It is most commonly used as a vegetable, and was a staple food in the Seychelles until rice became cheap enough and easily accessible. In fact the breadfruit tree is a protected tree under the Breadfruit and other Trees (protection) Act, 1917.
Selection
Breadfruits can be quite difficult to access if you are not in the tropics, but many Caribbean and Asian specialty food stores carry them these days.
In order to select the right breadfruit it is critical that you understand the terminology used to describe the stages of development of breadfruit. The stages are commonly referred to as immature, mature or ripe. For your soup you will need to select a mature breadfruit. Rub your hand over the skin and slightly squeeze the vegetable to make sure there is no hidden damage like scrapes and cuts.
Choose a fruit that has a smooth surface, greenish-yellow color and a dappling of brown crusty patches between the segments on its skin. Mature fruit has the best flavour and texture for most dishes where a potato-like consistency is desired.
Storing
A firm, mature breadfruit will ripen and become soft in 1–3 days at room temperature after harvest. If it ripens, use for dessert dishes. To store a mature fruit and delay ripening, put it in the refrigerator. The skin will turn brown, but the edible flesh will stay firm. One of the traditional ways to slow down the ripening process was to store the breadfruits fully submerged in cool water. They were placed in a large container filled with water and a gunny bags was placed on top of the fruits and a heavy object like a piece of thick plank was placed on top of the gunny bag to act as a weight that kept the fruits fully submerged.
Preparing the breadfruit
Breadfruit contains a small amount of white sap, which can stick to knives, pots and steamers. Soak the breadfruit for 1–2 minutes in cold, clean water and wash to remove any sap or debris on the skin. Dry with a clean towel before cutting. Place the fruit on a solid cutting board or table and with a sharp knife cut in half lengthwise, parallel to the core. Cut each half in quarters after which the core can easily be cut away. Peel the skin and then coarsely chop the flesh. Wash under running water. You will need approximately 500g of chopped breadfruit for the soup.
If the breadfruit oozes sap upon cutting, place a piece of cardboard over the cutting board to keep it clean. Spray some oil on your knife blade , this will the resist sticky sap. If some sap still sticks to some kitchen equipment , it can be removed with oil and a scrub brush followed by washing with dish soap in hot water.
Preparing the soup
To prepare the soup, you will need to prepare some fish stock first. For the fish stock, you will require some chopped up fish heads or bones. The best fish for our Creole fish stock is the Red Emperor head and failing that any snapper head will do. Avoid using any fatty fish because your stock will not taste as good. This will take approximately 45 minutes.
Here is the recipe for Breadfruit Soup – Lasoup Friyapen
The breadfruit soup or lasoup friyapen , a thick velvety and hearty soup flavoured with fish stock, garlic and coconut milk, is an ideal soup served hot or chilled for the cool tropical evenings.
- 1.5 kg fish heads or bones (red Snapper or any snapper)
- 2 litre water
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tsp garlic, crushed
- 2 tsp ginger, crushed
- 6 sprigs parsley and thyme
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 500 gms mature breadfruit (about ½ a medium size breadfruit)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1½ litre fish stock
- salt and pepper to taste
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Rinse fish head and cut in small pieces. Wash in running water
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Heat oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat
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Add onion, garlic and ginger, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes
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Add fish head, stir thoroughly and cover with lid and let steam for about 5 minutes
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Add water, stir, bring to boil. Once boiling starts, reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 30 minutes.
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Remove from heat and allow to rest for about 30 minutes
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Strain stock through a fine sieve and keep.
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Wash breadfruit and pat dry.
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Place the breadfruit on a solid cutting board or table and with a sharp knife cut in half lengthwise, parallel to the core. Cut each half in quarters.
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Remove the core and peel the skin and then coarsely chop the flesh.
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Wash under running water.
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Place the chopped up breadfruit in a medium size pot and add the fish stock and bring to the boil.
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Once boiling starts , reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 30 minutes or until the breadfruit is tender enough to be easily mashed against the side of the pot.
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Remove from heat and allow to cool. Mash the breadfruit with a potato masher or place in a blender.
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Return to pot , bring to boil , adjust consistency, season to taste.
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Serve hot or chilled
- This soup can also be served either hot or chilled
- If soup is too thick, thin it with a little more fish stock. Serve soup sprinkled with chopped chives for that extra colour contrast and flavour.
- In the absence of fresh breadfruit you can use canned or frozen ones. If using canned breadfruit, open can , drain and chop coarsely. If you are using frozen ones, just thaw and then chop in small pieces.
- The fish stock can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 days or frozen for up to one month
Did you make this recipe?
I hope you will enjoy cooking this dish. Please let me know how it turned out for you. If you have a different version of the recipe or have related questions, please leave your comments below.
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