Ackee is a fruit of the Sapindaceae family, native to tropical West Africa, and is also known as acki, akee, or ackee apple. The scientific name of the fruit is Blighia sapida, which honors Captain William Bligh who took the fruit from Jamaica to the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew, England, in 1793. The fruit is an evergreen tree that grows about 10 meters tall, with a short trunk and a dense crown. The leaves are paripinnately, compound 15–30 centimeters long, with 6–10 elliptical to oblong leathery leaflets. The inflorescences are fragrant, up to 20 cm long, with unisexual flowers that bloom during warm months.

Ackee is a popular ingredient in Jamaican cuisine, and it is the national fruit of Jamaica. The fruit is cooked and used as a vegetable, and it is creamy in texture like scrambled eggs, with bitter and nutty flavors. Ackee requires a little bit of prep work before it can be eaten. The black seeds from the flesh, along with the red lining on each section of flesh, should be removed and discarded. The flesh itself should be rinsed in tap water and drained well before using it in cooking. In preparation for use in the national dish, ackee and saltfish, the fruit is usually boiled gently for up to half an hour. The prepared fruit is removed from the water and usually sautéed with onions, tomatoes, sweet peppers, allspice, and Scotch bonnet peppers, and then mixed with salt fish.

Ackee is firm and oily to the touch when raw and softens when cooked. The taste of ackee is nothing like eggs, despite its appearance in some preparations. It is smooth and tends to melt in your mouth, and it is often described as "cheese fruit" or "vegetable marrow" due to its creaminess. Ackee can also be used in soups and desserts such as cakes and custards.

In summary, ackee is a fruit of the Sapindaceae family, native to tropical West Africa, and is popular in Jamaican cuisine. It is cooked and used as a vegetable, and it has a creamy texture with bitter and nutty flavors.