JACA - jaqueira, carne-de-jaca e muito mais [PANC]

At this link, you can find pots, fertilizers, books and other products: https://minhasplantas.com.br/loja PANC is the acronym for Non-Conventional Food Plants, used to define vegetables (roots, leaves, stems, fruits, seeds and even flowers) that we normally do not find easily on our menu. PANCs are the theme of the new series on the Minhas Plantas channel, entitled "Matos Gourmet" and presented by our gardener Carol Costa, together with master Harri Lorenzi, the greatest botanical taxonomist in the country, plus a special appearance by chef Henrique Nunes. Filmed entirely at the Plantarum Botanical Garden, in Nova Odessa (SP), the series highlights in this first episode the jackfruit, the garlic cipó and the turmeric. A fruit already familiar to Brazilians, the jackfruit is presented here in a version considered #PANC: the still green fruit. When ripe, jackfruit can be eaten raw, but the unripe fruit needs to be prepared to soften its pulp and make it edible. Despite its Asian origin, the jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) grows well in Brazil, especially in the hot and humid climate of the forests along our coast. The garlic vine (Mansoa alliacea), another plant featured in this episode, is a native shrub. As its name suggests, its leaves have a flavor reminiscent of garlic. It can be eaten raw, but because it is quite fibrous, it is more commonly used in cooking with the leaves macerated. Another PANC featured in the "Matos Gourmet" series is turmeric (Curcuma longa), also known as saffron. Also of Asian origin, its roots can be used as a seasoning and dye. Its use in cooking gives a yellowish, orange-ish tone to dishes – which is why it is associated with true saffron, which also colors dishes. During a visit to the Plantarum Botanical Garden, Carol finds the plant in bloom. You can see the true flower, yellow, growing between the bracts (the modified leaves that look like flowers), which are white in color. The color is the only similarity between turmeric and true saffron (Cracus sativus): the first uses the rhizome of the plant, while true saffron is produced from the stigma (the part of the flower where the pollen is found). The flavor of turmeric roots is reminiscent of ginger, but without the citrus flavor. In fact, turmeric is related to ginger: both are from the Zingiberaceae family. Chef Henrique Nunes, from the Naiah restaurant, is the one who shows one of the ways to prepare jackfruit "meat" and also teaches how to make vegan mayonnaise using garlic vine leaves and turmeric root. The Naiah restaurant is located inside the Plantarum Botanical Garden. It is there that the chef and his new assistant/gardener Carol prepare and taste delicious jackfruit empanadas, accompanied by seasoned mayonnaise. It is mouth-watering. There was a visit to the botanical garden, fruit picking, encounter with #PANCs flowers and roots, culinary tips, tasting of vegan dishes... Let's be honest, this series started off well, with a little bit of a dip in the jackfruit... or should I say, a fork? Links: Instituto Plantarum - www.plantarum.org.br/ Naiah Restaurant - http://www.restaurantenaiah.com.br/ Costume: CAS Store - https://www.casmoda.com.br/ Outer - https://www.outershoes.com.br/ Studio Drê Magalhães - https://www.studiodremagalhaes.com.br/ Book: Unconventional Food Plants (PANC) in Brazil (authors: Harri Lorenzi and Valdely Ferreira Kinupp): https://www.amazon.com.br/gp/product/... PANC Goumert - Culinary Essays (Author: Henrique Nunes): https://www.amazon.com.br/gp/product/...