Cashew -not-chicken

Just tried to make jackfruit and it is fantastic! A great substitute for chicken. You really can’t tell the difference. The jackfruit just needs to be drained well and shredded and it absorbs the flavours that it’s cooked in easily. This Asian dish is so so so good and another plant based delight.

• Serves 4

• Prep time 20 mins

• Cook time 20 mins

Ingredients:

For the stir-fry

• 1/4 cup sunflower oil

• 400 gr canned jackfruit

• 1/4 cup corn starch

• 1/2 cup red onion, sliced

• 1 red bell pepper, sliced

• 1 orange pepper, sliced

• 1-5 red chillies (up to your spicy taste preference)

• 1/2 cup roasted no salt cashews

• 1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1 tsp minced ginger

• salt and pepper to taste

• sesame seeds hulled for garnish

For the sauce

• 3tbsp low sodium soy sauce

• 1 1/2 tbsp hoisin sauce (True Nosh makes a nice one with no sugar)

• 1 tbsp sesame oil

• 11/2 tbsp coconut sugar

• 1 tbsp corn starch

• 1/4 cup vegetable broth

Directions:

1. Drain the jackfruit in paper towels till all the liquid is drained. Place in a bowl and coat jackfruit with corn starch, salt and pepper.

2. In a wok or deep frying pan, add oil and saute coated jackfruit till brown ( about 3 minutes) Remove from pan and cover to stay warm

3. In the same left over oil, add all sliced onions and peppers. Saute for a couple of minutes and add garlic, ginger and red whole chillies ( I usually chop my chillies in little bits- if you remove the seeds, it is less spicier) Add the roasted cashew nuts and coated jackfruit and saute everything together for a couple of minutes.

4. In the mean time, while vegetables are cooking, make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk all the sauce ingredients and add to jackfruit mixture and let boil till sauce is nice and thick.

5. Serve on jasmine rice and garnish with sesame seeds.

Enjoy!