(Young Green) Jackfruit Curry With Chickpeas, Mushrooms and Baby Kale
You may be asking yourself: “What is (young green) jackfruit?”
Well, it’s a large, green, oval-shaped fruit that works really well as a meat replacement due to its texture. It’s a bitch to cut into and clean, but thankfully many stores — Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, etc. — sell it canned. (Pro-tip: Make sure it’s canned in brine or water, not syrup.) It has the feel and chew of pulled pork or chicken. It also doesn’t taste like anything on it’s own which helps it absorb seasonings really well meaning you can dress it up however you like and it won’t taste weird in your dishes.
If you wanted, I’m sure you could hit it with some chicken seasoning and it would slap. I haven’t tried it but if I ever do, I’ll let y’all know if it does in fact slap. This is also why I’m making the distinction of young green jackfruit since that is the one used as a meat substitute — not fully ripe jackfruit which tastes like a pineapple and mango had a baby.
This is good substitution for people who like the texture of meat in dishes but want to lay off it in a certain meal. Jackfruit has a decent amount of nutritional benefit. The gag, however, is that unlike other meat substitutes and actual meat it’s incredibly low in protein. You will need to get your protein from other places.** For me, in this particular meal, that’s where the chickpeas come in. I also consume fairly protein-rich meals throughout the day based on my nutritional needs which won’t help you with yours (sorry, gotta figure that out on your own).
Now, here’s what you came for:
Ingredients
1 small diced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
½ pack of sliced mushrooms
1 4oz. jar of red curry paste
1 tbsp peanut butter
1 can of chickpeas, drained
1 can of jackfruit, drained
1 can of coconut milk (13.5 oz)
1.5 tbsp of fish sauce
1 pack of baby kale, spinach or whatever leafy green you like!
1. Oil your pan and add the diced onion. Sauté it for about 2 minutes before adding the minced garlic, mushrooms and chickpeas. Cook for another 3 minutes and then move the vegetables to the side of the pan.
2. Dump the curry paste and peanut butter in the middle. Let it soften up and then begin to stir it in with the other veggies.
3. After about two minutes, add the jackfruit, the coconut milk and the fish sauce.
4. Stir it together, turn your pan down and let it simmer for 15 mins. Let it cool a little before serving.
5. To serve, add baby kale to a bowl then pour room temperature curry over it. Enjoy!
Nom af.
**Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any government entity. If there are links present, they will redirect you to studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals or other credible sources of information.
Any products mentioned in this post are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness. Furthermore, I am not a medical professional and this post is not intended to provide medical advice. Please check with your doctor before adding anything new to your daily routine, diet or exercise regimen — especially if you are taking prescription or over-the-counter medications, using recreational drugs, or are pregnant, breastfeeding or intend to become pregnant in the near future.