Pulled BBQ jackfruit sliders with mustard slaw

Jackfruit is one of the most convincing plant-based meat substitutes thanks to its unusual texture. It pulls apart like slowroasted pork and is wonderful at soaking up this BBQ sauce, which is spicy, smoky and sharp, with a deep, dark sweetness.

1 HOUR | MAKES 12 | EASY |

BBQ SAUCE rapeseed or olive oil 2 tbsp

onion 1, finely chopped

garlic 2 cloves, crushed

ground cumin 1/2 tsp

sriracha 1 tbsp

dark soy sauce 2 tbsp

liquid smoke 1 tsp (see cook’s notes)

tomato ketchup 100ml

soft dark brown sugar 1 tbsp

maple syrup 1 tbsp

balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp

cherry tomatoes 400g tin MUSTARD SLAW

kale 60g, finely sliced

carrots 2, grated

red cabbage 60g, finely sliced

spring onions 4, finely sliced

vegan mayonnaise 100ml

apple cider vinegar 2 tbsp

dijon mustard 4 tbsp

TO SERVE rapeseed or olive oil 2 tbsp

green jackfruit 2 x 410g tins, drained and squeezed to release some moisture (see cook’s notes)

vegan slider buns or small burger buns 12, halved and toasted

vegan mayonnaise 4 tbsp

To make the BBQ sauce, heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat, then fry the onion for a few minutes until it begins to turn translucent. Add the garlic and fry for a minute more. Add all the remaining sauce ingredients and stir to combine. Cover, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 7-10 minutes or until all the tomatoes have burst and the sauce has reduced. Remove from the heat and allow to cool fully before blending in a food processor to a smooth, glossy sauce.

2 For the mustard slaw, mix together all the ingredients with a pinch of salt and good grind of black pepper in a large bowl.

3 To prepare the jackfruit, heat the oil in a medium pan over a high heat and fry the chunks of jackfruit for 5 minutes or until they start to char on the outsides. Reduce the heat to low and, using two forks, pull apart the jackfruit – it should look fibrous and meaty. Add half the BBQ sauce and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes until the sauce is simmering and the jackfruit is well coated. Remove from the heat and, using the back of a fork, gently mash the jackfruit until most of the large chunks are gone and it resembles pulled pork.

4 Halve the buns and spread 1 tsp of vegan mayo on each. Top with a heaped spoon of the pulled jackfruit, the BBQ sauce and some slaw.

PER SERVING 181 kcals | fat 10.5g saturates 0.7g | carbs 19.3g | sugars 17.9g fibre 1.6g | protein 1.7g | salt 1.2g