Every Thai house has a jackfruit tree (or so it seems) and jackfruit "meat" has become hugely popular as a meat substitute for vegan dishes. Yet many people (Thai people, too!) have NO CLUE how to prepare it. "Just chop it and boil it, right?" Haha.... well, sort of. Let it be said, unless you know how, the whole preparing jackfruit meat experience can be stressful, messy and a never-to-repeat.
"Maybe you could prepare me some?" my friend asked hopefully. "My Thai missus has no clue if it's not pork."
So I'm walking you through my Thai kitchen pro-tips, to make sure you DO get this right and enjoy such an unusual and nutritious food that's plentiful ALL year round.
First mistake? "Let's make jackfruit curry tonight".
A Thai person would look blankly at you and laugh. "ไม่ได้" Mai Dai. (ie *cannot!)
Why? You need to pick it several days before, to let the latex "issue" resolve. AS SOON as you cut a jackfruit, it will start leaking and dripping an uber-sticky latex that is literally a type of natural glue.
Thai-style you would harvest with a machete, and then leave it by the back door sitting on a banana leaf to catch the oozing latex. You need to leave it standing there for 2-3 days!! Trust me, this latex does NOT wash out of clothes and it takes half a bottle of dish soap and a LOT of effort to get it off surfaces in your kitchen.
Let the latex drain outside, then compost the banana leaf.
The jackfruit "meat" has the best taste and texture from young, immature jackfruits. The one I used today was about as big as you'd want to go. A tiny bit smaller would have perfect.
Cut your jackfruit into slices about 1 inch thick.
You can see that despite resting for 2 days, my young jackfruit still has a lot of latex. 😣
You'll need a BIG pot of boiling, salted water - the salt helps draw the latex out of the meat. Put all your jackfruit in, skin and all. See how the salty water immediately reacts with the latex?
You need to boil it steadily for 30-40 mins. Problem is it floats. So you have to turn your pieces and push them down often to keep them mostly submerged and to ensure they cook evenly.
After just 5-10 mins you can see the heat and the salt already doing their thing and the "pulled pork" texture starting to appear.
You will know it's "done" by the colour change, and by the texture of the "meat" when you tease it with a fork.
When it's cool enough to handle comfortably, using a fork, fingers or a sharp paring knife, tease out the tender jackfruit "meat".
We normally keep it in glass covered bowl in the fridge, ready to be added to Thai curries and stir fries for our vegan friends and guests. Today's batch went to my friend newly diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer - he's going 100% plant based and is still wanting that meaty-feel to his food. Happy to help.
Jackfruit is high in potassium and fiber; it does have many trace nutrients but it's primarily prepared and served this way largely for people transitioning away from a meat diet. Due to its texture, look and feel.
Caution Jackfruit DOES lower blood sugar, and so people with diabetes need to be mindful. In my friend's case, that may be a bonus. But it will need careful observation.
The immature seeds of the jackfruit ARE edible and are a very rich source of bio-available iron. As you can see from the images above, the immature seeds can just be sliced through, cooked and included in the prepared "meat".
When the jackfruits are mature, they weight in somewhere between 20 and 50kg (35 and 120 pounds). The mature seeds are a delicacy - boiled and salted and with an inside texture similar to cooked potatoes.
Our biggest crisis? Our one tree produces SO MUCH JACKFRUIT!!! I counted 47 fruits today in various stages - the smallest only 2 inches long, but the biggest already well over 15 inches and 8 pounds. I need to get out there more regularly to harvest them when they re small and succulent and perfect for making "meat".
Hoping this leaves you feeling curious - and empowered. If you're not lucky enough to live in a climate where jackfruits grow, at least you now know how the stuff many westerners buy in a can looks and is prepared.
Feeling happy in my Thai natural world.
All images used in my posts are created and owned by myself, unless specifically sourced. If you wish to use my images or my content, please contact me.
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