Excuse the short introduction to this recipe, but I’m packing my bags and heading to Portland, Oregon, to hobnob with the vegan and famous at Vida Vegan Con. I’ll be giving a food photography presentation, speaking about blog monetization with Nava Atlas, and participating in a panel on privacy and oversharing with Dreena Burton, Joanna Vaught, and Sayward Rebhal.
Plus, I’ll be having dinner with friend and fellow blogger Maria, so I’m beyond excited. Daughter E is coming along as my “assistant” (camera bag bearer), so if you’re there, please don’t hesitate to come up to us and tell her that you remember when she was little bitty and wore glasses (she loves that, honest!)
Before I go, I wanted to share a traditional Chinese recipe that I lightened up with the use of jackfruit. You may remember young green jackfruit from my Jackfruit “Crab” Cakes; it’s an Asian fruit that is used as a vegetable when it’s green. As it cooks, it starts to flake and shred, becoming eerily reminiscent of the texture of pulled pork, without all of the antibiotics, cholesterol, or animal suffering.
Its shreddy texture is perfect in this Mu Shu Jackfruit, absorbing all the sweet and salty flavors of the sauce while having a much lower calorie and fat count than the original. I also substituted lettuce leaves for the traditional mu shu pancakes, making this main dish much lighter and fresher than its namesake while still just as flavorful.
A Note About Gluten: The hoisin sauce I used contains wheat, but if a wheat-free version exists, you could make these gluten-free (you’ll need to check your soy sauce, too).
Mu Shu Jackfruit Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 small onion diced
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger root
- 1 20-ounce can young green jackfruit in water or brine not syrup well drained and pieces coarsely chopped
- 1/2 cup vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or wheat-free tamari
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1/2 cup slivered baby carrots
- 4-5 mushrooms --about 5 ounces--stemmed and sliced
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil optional
- Lettuce leaves for wrapping
Instructions
- In a medium-sized saucepan, saute the onion until it softens (add a splash of water or broth if it begins to stick). Add the garlic and ginger root and cook for another minute.
- Add the chopped jackfruit, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and hoisin sauce to the pan. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low until jackfruit softens and begins to shred when you press on it with the edge of a spoon (about 20-30 minutes).
- Gently “encourage” the larger pieces to fall apart. Then add the remaining ingredients (except lettuce), cover, and simmer until the mushrooms exude their juices, about 5 minutes.
- Serve in lettuce cups with sriracha or extra hoisin sauce. May be eaten warm or cold.
Recipe Notes
On Weight Watchers’ Freestyle program, one serving is 1 point with or without the sesame oil, as long as your broth is fat-free.
Interested in More Jackfruit Recipes?
Check out Jacked-Up Vegan Ribs and Jackfruit Crab Cakes.
See you in Portland!
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janet @ the taste space
I am loving your unique ways of using jackfruit, Susan. Have fun!
Marilou Garon
Thank you, looks delicious for summer! Can we also have the recipe for the beautiful inside-out sushi rolls in the background? 🙂 It looks like you use brown rice and I’d so love to know how to use it for nori rolls!
Mary Ellen
Congratulations on your presentation! I can’t wait to try this fun recipe.
Laina
Looks delicious, Susan!
Kikkoman makes a gluten-free soy sauce. I’ve seen other brands online as well. There are also some gluten-free hoisin sauces out there too.
Or you can make your own hoisin sauce:
4 tablespoons gluten free soy sauce -or- braggs amino acids
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
3 teaspoons white vinegar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons Siracha chili sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
I haven’t seen jackfruit around here, but haven’t looked in awhile. Will have to check around because I’d love to make this. Yum!
india leigh
Lettuce wraps. Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?! I finally got around to experimenting with Jackfruit this weekend. http://aveganobsession.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/pulled-pork-jackfruit-with-fresh.html I loved it! I am going to stock up on a few cans, and put your recipe on the list to try.
thanks! Enjoy Vida Vegan Con. (jealous!). I am definitely going next year..hook or by crook! or should that be crock?
India Leigh
Nicole
Any particular Hoisin sauce you like best? And if one can’t find jackfruit, any good substitutions? Thanks! 🙂
Marta @ What should I eat for breakfast today
This is a unique recipe. Have fun in Oregon and good luck with presentation!
Leanne @ Healthful Pursuit
Wow, have fun at the event! Sounds like it’s going to be good. I LOVE Dreena. So very cool that you get to work alongside her.
Irina @ wandercrush
The last time I tried cooking with jackfruit, it was a huge failure! I definitely need to give it another shot, though… your recipe might be my saving grace.
Susan Voisin
I’ve had problems with it, too. For one thing, it can be tricky to get it the right softness. If I cook it too long, it seems to lose all its chewiness. I think the trick is not to expect it to shred as it cooks but to cut it up beforehand. Also, it’s so low in calories that it is much more filling when used with something heartier, like a legume or a grain.
Sharon
Thanks for the new recipe, Susan. (And thank you for the tip about a cookie sheet for potato “fries!”)
I posted your website on Dean Ornish’s website: http://www.ornishspectrum.com/ and lots of people commented on it! I think it’s one of the best, and I always look forward to your new recipes.
Have fun in Oregon! You deserve it! 😀
Susan Voisin
Thanks so much, Sharon! I appreciate the support.
Laura T.
I made this and we both loved it. I’ve been buying and cooking jackfruit every week since you posted this! Most recently I’ve used it for southern fired ‘chicken’. Going to work on a fat free version soon, southern baked chicken I guess?
Susan
Hi Susan!
This is a long shot, but do you happen to have any tips for working with *fresh* (unripe) jackfruit?
Specifically, do you know if the cooking times are significantly different between fresh and canned?
Love your recipes and just found your site today. I’m definitely checking back regularly for my fat free vegan meals!
Susan Voisin
I wish I could help, but I’ve only worked with the canned jackfruit. I’ve seen them fresh and they look so intimidating, but I’d love to know how to use them.
Zacharia Ponkunnam
I m very proud of this site.. n..Chennai Jackfruit fest..
because..In Kerala Malayali not done this.Malayali not know the value of JACKFRUIT..
Angie G
Susan, could I use fresh jackfruit, as opposed to canned?
Susan Voisin
I think you could, as long as it’s a green jackfruit (not ripe or sweet) but I haven’t actually tried it.