CHINESE FIVE SPICE JACKFRUIT WITH MUSHROOMS AND BLACK BEANS
‘Jack who?” I hear you say. I know, I get it. Jackfruit. It’s a fruit, and if I should go by the requests I get for recipes here for the blog, it is the one you want to see most of - together with tofu and tempeh. In fact, it is becoming more and more popular, even available now in mainstream supermarkets, largely due to its popular use in plant based cooking. It has a neutral flavour so is a great carrier for marinades in savoury dishes, and a meaty texture when prepared like this.
In Europe, Jackfruit is mostly sold in tins, although you may be able to find the whole fruit in Asian supermarkets. For my recipes, I will always use the tinned version. You will firstly need to drain the water or brine and then rinse the jackfruit very thoroughly. If you prefer, you can cut off the harder core piece, although I don’t usually bother with that. Pat dry so that the sauce has a better chance of sticking to it. Depending how soft or hard the jackfruit is, then shred it with a fork or chop with a knife.
Slice the mushrooms in the same way. You can use a mix of shiitake and chestnut mushrooms, or just one version. Either way, make sure you have enough of it. Then in a large bowl, combine the shredded jackfruit and mushrooms with the BBQ sauce and five-spice powder, bang it in the oven, and voilà!
Now it is important to note that Jackfruit is not a protein source, so it’s always good to add some beans to it - I have gone for black beans here. And to serve, I like to have some steamed veggie rice and a little bit of chilli sauce, but you could also add it to a wrap with a vegan creme fraiche and some greens. The choice is yours.
Five Spice Jackfruit with Black Beans and Mushrooms
Ingredients
- 2 tins of jackfruit in water
- 300g mushrooms (chestnut or shiitake or a mix of both)
- 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp Chines five-spice powder
- 1 tin of black beans
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas mark 6
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit, then pat dry. If you prefer, cut the hard core off but it is not a requirement.
- Either slice with a knife or shred with a fork, then add to a large bowl.
- Shred the mushrooms and add to the bowl, together with the BBQ sauce and the Five Spice powder.
- Line a large baking sheet and spread the jackfruit mix out. If the sheet is too crowded, spread the mix over two sheets.
- Bake for 20 minutes, stirring halfway through.
- Remove from the oven and add the drained and rinsed black beans.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes:
Serve with veggie rice, baked potatoes or in a wrap.
The dish will keep in a sealed container in the fridge for 4-5 days.