“But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.”

– He Wishes for the Cloths of Heaven, W.B. Yeats

Jackfruit has the consistency of shredded meat, except it’s slightly tangy, and of course, because it’s a fruit, it’s much lighter. It doesn’t have the fat or protein content that pulled pork does, so i’d recommend serving this Jackfruit dish alongside some beans and guacamole for a full meal.

Recipe: Pulled Jackfruit Carnitas

This recipe is by Mo Wyse and Shannon Martinez and found in their cookbook Smith & Daughters.

SERVES 4-6

INGREDIENTS

1kg	tinned green jackfruit, (not the sweet kind!)
2 tablespoons	olive oil
1	onion, chopped
3	garlic cloves, crushed
1	orange, zested and juiced
1	lime, zested and juiced
60ml	agave syrup
1	fresh bay leaf
1	cinnamon stick
2	chipotles in adobo, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons	butter
500ml	chicken or vegetable stock
handful	coriander, chopped

DRY RUB

2 teaspoons	ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon	cumin seeds
1 teaspoon	dried oregano
2 teaspoons	sweet paprika
2 teaspoons	smoked paprika
1 teaspoon	ground coriander
1 teaspoon	chilli flakes
1/2 teaspoon	ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon	thyme leaves, chopped
2	garlic cloves, crushed

METHOD

1. Combine the dry rub ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
2. Rinse the jackfruit under cold water and place in a large bowl. Roughly shred the fruit with your fingers until it resembles shredded meat.
3. Add the dry rub ingredients and mix well with your hands until the jackfruit is well coated. Cover and set aside in the fridge overnight, for up to 24 hours, to allow the flavours to develop.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is light golden. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute.
5. Add the spiced jackfruit along with the remaining ingredients except the coriander. Stir well, then cover and simmer over a very low heat for 30 minutes.
6. Remove the lid and increase the heat to high. Stirring frequently, cook until the liquid has reduced completely and the jackfruit is beginning to brown and crisp.
7. Check the seasoning and finish with the chopped coriander. Serve on warmed mini tortillas with any topping you want (guacamole, shredded lettuce, cheese, tomato, beans). Yum!

To serve: put jackfruit on flour tortillas, and top with pickled radish, guac and chipotle mayo for a colourful meal 🙂