Ginataang Langka (Young Jackfruit in Coconut Milk)

IMAGE Patrick Martires

Gata, or coconut milk, is a delicious ingredient that can transform a seemingly simple dish into one that's lip-smackingly delicious. It can even make something that's normally unpalatable delicious, like unripe langka.   

How do you make langka into a ginataang dish?    

The trick to using a green langka or unripe jackfruit is simmering it until it softens. It gives many dishes, including a simple binagoongan dish, a slight sweetness from both the tender flesh of the fruit and the seeds that become edible when boiled. This unique addition lends a textural element to an otherwise popular binagoongan dish. You're going to need extra rice!