So, what really is Ackee? 

You might have seen it as our viral vegan scrambled egg in our Island Brunch Bowl...

Ackee is used like a vegetable in delicious savoury dishes, but it's really a fruit! In fact, it's the national fruit of Jamaica and plays a key role in the country's national dish: ackee and saltfish.

Ackee fruit grows on evergreen trees which originate from West Africa and often goes by the nickname "ackee apple" (you can see why!) The fruit is fully ripe when the pods are bright red and split open to reveal the edible fruit inside. Jamaicans say that the fruit will "yawn" or "smile" when it's ready to be picked. 🥱

So, what's inside the ackee? The pod opens to expose 3-4 sections of fleshy fruit called arils underneath black seeds. The arils are what you eat, and they are sooo tasty when prepared! 

What does it taste like? 😋

Ackee is typically sautéed with onions, tomatoes, peppers and allspice and tastes like scrambled eggs when cooked. The Jamaican superfood is great for your skin and is packed with vitamin A, so it really is the perfect vegan alternative to scrambled eggs (and of course comes with lots of benefits!) 

Check out Chef Collin's delicious scrambled ackee below 🤤

Who's up for giving Ackee a try this summer? You can find it in our brand-new vegan Island Brunch Bowl, where it pairs perfectly with warming curried chickpeas, sweet plantain and callaloo.