Foodie trends: Jackfruit!29 Sep

We thought we’d try something different this month and take a look at one of the trendy food fads that are flying around at the moment.

Shanise, our office foodie and nutrition expert, thought that jackfruit would be a good place to start – it’s a versatile, nutritious fruit that has become increasingly popular over the last few years.

In its ripe form, jackfruit tastes sweet, like a mixture of banana, mango and orange, and is used to make jams, desserts and even ice cream! While unripe, jackfruit tastes savoury-like and is what some would describe as being like pulled pork. Quite a contrast, there!

It’s rich in vitamin A and high in fibre, and many people use it as a meat alternative as it provides a similar taste and texture. It can be quite hard to find, although you’ll probably be able to get it from any Asian food store, or you may even find tinned jackfruit in the world food aisle in your local supermarket.

So, to make your own jackfruit faux-pulled pork, you’ll need:

• 500g fresh, unripe Jackfruit, or tinned green jackfruit in water
• BBQ flavouring: 1tbsp brown sugar, 1tsp paprika, 1 clove of garlic (minced), 1tbsp soy sauce, salt and pepper
• 4 tbsp of your favourite BBQ sauce!

What do I do with all this?

• Firstly, wash and dry your jackfruit. De-core it and slice it roughly into a bowl
• Mix together your BBQ flavouring ingredients and coat the jackfruit
• Add a dash of oil to a saucepan, heat through and add the seasoned jackfruit
• Cook on a medium heat until the jackfruit becomes golden, which should take about 5 minutes
• Next, add the BBQ sauce and some water until you reach your desired consistency
• Cook together on a low heat for about 20 minutes until the jackfruit is tender and the BBQ sauce has reduced
• Once it’s cooked, let it cool for a few minutes and then use two forks to pull the jackfruit apart, creating a pulled pork-like texture
• Slap some in a wholemeal bun and serve alongside your favourite veggies for a healthy, vegetarian take on this BBQ classic!

Let us know how you get on!

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