Brighten up a frosty February day with this guilt-free, meat-free mouthwatering recipe from chef Sam Murphy. Find more delicious vegan dishes in HELLO! out now. "Jackfruit is a serious game changer when it comes to creating vegan ‘meat’,” reveals Sam. “You can usually find it in tins or jars in Asian grocery stores or online – get the young green jackfruit in water or brine, not in syrup."
Serves: 2Preparation time: 25-30 minutesCooking time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:250g/9oz mixture of shredded carrots, cabbage and onion1 x 560g tin young green jackfruit in brine or water1 onion, peeled and chopped1 clove garlic, crushed1 tbsp peanut oil3 tbsp barbecue sauce1-2 tsp liquid smoke1 tsp molasses or black treacle1½ tsp onion powder½ tsp ground nutmeg2 tsp smoked paprika125ml/4½fl oz vegetable stockSalt and freshly ground black pepper3-4 buns of choiceFried onions (optional)
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For the cashew mayo:125g/4½oz cashew nuts175ml/6fl oz soya milk4 tbsp olive oil1 tbsp maple syrup or coconut nectar1 tsp onion powder1 tbsp apple cider vinegarSalt, to tasteWater, if needed
Method:
1. For the cashew mayo, soak the cashews in the milk for 5-6 hours. Transfer the nuts and milk to a high-speed blender, add the remaining mayo ingredients and blitz for a few minutes until no lumps remain.
2. Mix together the shredded carrots, cabbage and onions and the cashew mayo in a bowl then refrigerate.
3. Drain and rinse the jackfruit. Slice or pull off the hard core centre of the chunks of jackfruit, leaving the sinewy edges.
4. In a large frying pan, fry the onion and garlic in the peanut oil until fragrant. Add the jackfruit, barbecue sauce, liquid smoke, molasses, onion powder, spices and a few tbsp of the stock to prevent it sticking to the pan. Simmer over a medium-high heat then, using 2 forks, begin to gently ‘pull’ the jackfruit until it is shredded (don’t pull the jackfruit too much as it could become a little sloppy – you still want it to be slightly chunky). Slowly add the remaining stock season to taste and keep stirring gently. Cover with a lid and simmer on a low heat for 3 minutes then remove from the heat.
5. Toast or warm the buns in the oven. To assemble, slice each bun in half and layer the bases with some coleslaw. Spoon the pulled jackfruit over this, followed by fried onions if using, then place the bun halves on top.
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Since adopting a vegan diet three years ago, Australia-based chef Sam Murphy has been experimenting in the kitchen and has learnt how to continue eating what were her favourite meals but made without meat, dairy or animal products. In Beautifully Real Food (Blink Publishing, £16.99, available from 23 February), Sam shares more than 100 of her favourite recipes. Keep up to date with Sam at instagram.com/sobeautifullyreal.