Jackfruit tacos

Jack what? Unless you’re a vegan or vegetarian, there’s a chance that you’ve never heard of jackfruit.

Jackfruit aka “the vegetarian meat” is a tropical fruit that weighs up to 40 kg and is mainly used in Oriental cuisine.
So a fruit?! Yup, until someone came to the brilliant idea to do something else with it. If you pull the pieces apart it’s just like “pulled pork”.

Buying fresh is impossible where I live and maybe that’s not a bad thing. Peeling the fruit is not a laugh and no clean job. (At least according to the Thai lady where I get my jackfruit)
Jackfruit is available in canned water, syrup or brine.
Jackfruit in syrup is not a thing to use as “meat”, the other two are fine!
Calculate about 1 can per person and the price is around 1.30 € per piece.
Although you may think now, no thanks, I never heard of it! It’s really is very simple.
I promise.

MATERIAL

non-stick pan
colander

1 can jackfruit ( not in sirop!)
1 small onion
1 clove garlic

Sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp smoked paprika powder
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tbsp chili powder
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tbsp soy sauce

Drain the jackfruit and rinse well with water. Cut the firm, pointy ends off each triangular piece of jackfruit. Now pull every piece apart with your hands creating “pulled pork”. Rinse again with water.

Heat up olive oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed, pan. Fry diced onion until softened, translucent and lightly caramelised.
Add jackfruit and stir at low heat, cover your pan for about 10 mins. Meanwhile in a small bowl add all the ingredients tot make the sauce. Add more ketchup if necessary.

After the first 10 mins add the sauce mix to the jackfruit. Mix well, cover your pan and let the jackfruit cook on low heat. How longer it sits, the more taste.

When jackfruit is soft, set the heat higher so the jackfruit gets a bit crunchy.