It’s slimy and smells awful, but who cares?
Jackfruit latest culinary craze as meat substitute
Spiky, hard to prepare and oozing foul-smelling slime, it has long been seen as a “pauper’s fruit.” However, the jackfruit is now much in demand after being hailed by chefs as a meat replacement superior to soy. It is also beginning to appear in many forms in grocery stores in Canada as well as England. With a texture similar to pulled pork or chicken, jackfruit has been praised as a convincing substitute for various meats by those following plant-based diets. Alex Santoro, co-founder of London vegan restaurant Genesis, told The Daily Telegraph: “Many vegan restaurants use jackfruit as a substitute for pork, but we think it works best as a replacement for Peking duck. “The stringy, soft texture is perfect and, coated in organic corn starch and fried, the outside becomes lovely and crispy. “It is delicious with hoisin sauce, cucumber and spring onions wrapped in a soft taco. “It’s also allergen free, which makes it a great option for any of our customers with soy allergies.” Major British supermarkets are also using the fruit as they expand their meat-free ranges to cater for the U.K.’s estimated 3.5 million vegans and vegetarians. Meanwhile, some of the most popular British chain restaurants are adding vegan dishes incorporating the fruit. In August, Pizza Express launched its Vegan Puttanesca pizza topped with marinated jackfruit in a traditional puttanesca sauce of tomatoes, olives, capers, garlic and herbs. Last week, Gourmet Burger Kitchen launched a new vegan jackfruit burger. The “jack-in-a-bun” burger includes a butternut squash and quinoa patty and beetroot mayo, as well as pulled jackfruit. Topped with pickled onions and lettuce, it is served on a sourdough bun. The jackfruit is imported to the U.K. from Asia in cans or in frozen form. Because it grows in such abundance, it has long been regarded as an undesirable fruit in its native regions, with 75 per cent of produce being left to rot and going to waste. But its image is being swiftly transformed, and Kerala, in southwest India, has now made it its official national fruit to garner further publicity and promote its own growers. Jackfruit is also grown in other parts of India, Southeast Asia, the East Indies, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia. The huge trees produce massive green fruits with a bumpy exterior. On the inside, jackfruit contains many plump, pale yellow bulbs, which are edible and joined at the core. The seeds can also be cooked, eaten on their own, or ground into flour.