This bunch took somewhat long to arrive however it is at last here, which filled my heart with joy as I've been kicking the bucket to make pulled jackfruit tacos for some time. The climate has turned out to be practically summery and what better approach to praise summer (alright, spring still) than with a plate of delicious, filled to the overflow, tacos, chilled specialty brew and a postprandial snooze in my lounger 😉 (my languid feline, Tina, concurs!). Furthermore, it is Cinco de Mayo today, would it say it isn't? So I feel like this Mexican-roused blowout has been impeccably planned.
These smoky and hot tacos have a major approval from Duncan who couldn't sit tight for me to complete the process of shooting them with the goal that he can dive into at any rate one. I am fairly satisfied with how they turned out as well and the main issue is that I'll presently need to ask the retailer to get me some more jackfruit. He appears to be somewhat confounded by my idiosyncratic preference for nourishment as I haven't figured out how to clarify what I use it for… Pretend pork!? I don't figure he will value the virtuoso of this thought.
- PULLED JACKFRUIT (for best flavour, make a day ahead)
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, finely diced
- 1 heaped tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon
- 2-3 pinches ground cloves, adjust to taste
- 1 tsp sambal oelek (Indonesian chilli paste) or chilli powder, to taste
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 2 x 565 g / 20 oz tins young (green) jackfruit in water
- 4 tbsp soy sauce
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- ¼ tsp white pepper (black is okay too)
- 2 tsp liquid smoke**
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- SOFT TACOS (makes about 10 x 12 cm / 4.5″ diameter)
- 185 g / 1½ cups all purpose white flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
- SALSA
- 15 ripe plum tomatoes
- 1 spring onion, sliced thinly
- 2 tsp lime juice
- ½ tsp sugar
- salt & pepper, to taste
- REMAINING INGREDIENTS
- Romaine lettuce, shredded
- quick-pickled red onions (details in this recipe)
- vegan sour cream (details in this recipe)
- small bunch of coriander
METHOD
- PULLED JACKFRUIT (for best flavour, make a day ahead)
- Drain both jackfruit tins. Cut the firm, pointy ends off each triangular piece of jackfruit (you can still use them if you wish, I don’t). Set aside.
- Heat up olive oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed, pan. Fry diced red onion until softened, translucent and lightly caramelised. Add chopped garlic and fry off gently until soft and fragrant.
- Add most of the spices: cumin, smoked paprika, coriander, a pinch of cinnamon and cloves to the onion-garlic mixture. Fry them off gently, stirring the whole time, for a minute or so.
- Mix in the tomato and chilli paste.
- Now add in the prepared jackfruit along with soy sauce, maple syrup, liquid smoke and apple cider vinegar. Mix everything really well. Squash the jackfruit pieces with your mixing spoon so that the individual fibres separate more. Season with white pepper and another pinch of ground cloves if you wish. Simmer the mixture gently for another 10-15 minutes and then allow it to cool down. Place in the fridge overnight to intensify the flavour.
- Just before you are ready to assemble the tacos, set the oven to 200° C / 390° F (fan function). Spread the jackfruit pieces on a baking paper-lined baking tray and bake for about 20-25 minutes, until a little browned.
- TACOS
- Put a kettle on. To make tacos mix flour, baking powder and salt in a big bowl. Add olive oil to the flour mixture and incorporate it well with your hands. Once the water comes to the boil, add about 120 ml / ½ cup of hot water in. Initially mix it all together with a spoon (as the mixture will be too hot), then start kneading the dough with your hands – you may need to add another splash of water if the dough is still too dry.
- Knead for about 5 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. Rest the dough for about 30 min covered with a damp kitchen towel. The resting step is very important so do not skip it. You can also make the dough a day in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight – if you decide to do that, bring the dough to room temperature before rolling the tacos.
- Once the dough has rested, divide it into 10 equal pieces.
- Set a medium, heavy-bottomed or griddle pan on a medium heat (it’s important not to get the pan too hot, I used setting 4 out of 6).
- Roll each piece of dough into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll out tortillas on a lightly floured surface. Refrain from adding too much flour as it will produce dry tacos. Once you are happy with the shape* and thickness (make them as thin as possible), put your taco on a hot pan.
- Little bubbles will start to appear after about 30 seconds, if any large air pockets appear pierce them with the tip of a knife. After about 1-2 minutes from when the taco hits the pan, flip the taco and cook for only about 30 seconds on the other side. Do not let them sit in the hot pan for too long as it will produce dry and cracking tacos.
- Keep cooked tacos in a stack in a warm place (like a very low oven) covered with a damp towel (to prevent them from drying out).
- SALSA
- Chop tomatoes into a fine dice. Add sliced spring onion and lime juice. Season with salt, pepper and sugar. Set aside.
- ASSEMBLY
- Finally, assemble your tacos by putting pulled jackfruit, chopped lettuce, tomato salsa, pickled onions (if using) and coriander in the middle of each taco. Drizzle with vegan sour cream.
Read more our recipe Smashed Avocado and Chickpea Salad Sandwich #vegan #vegetarian #soup #breakfast #lunch
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