There's No Such Thing As Over-Seasoning Jackfruit. Here's Why

Jackfruit is a versatile ingredient that can be used in place of meat in many of your favorite recipes. When picked early, the unripe fruit offers an ideal platform for savory meals. As unripe jackfruit cooks, fleshy pieces break off to resemble pulled pork or beef, and with the right addition of sauces and spices, you may not miss whatever animal products the fruit is meant to replace. 

Jackfruit's mild taste is permission for you to lead with flavor, so don't be shy, as unseasoned, unripe jackfruit is the vehicle waiting for your choice of spices and flavors. While you set about putting together pulled jackfruit tacos for tonight's dinner, lead with a heavy hand as you coat the ingredient with turmeric, red chile powder, ginger, garlic, Serrano chile, mustard seeds, curry leaves, cumin, coriander, and tamarind paste. When seasoning jackfruit to cook, more is more, as jackfruit without spices is something like an edible sponge. Think of a regular block of tofu: You'll have the texture, but you may not have the kind of taste you're after.

When you buy jackfruit to use in savory recipes, pay attention to packaging. Cans should be clearly marked unripe or young, and be packed in brine. To avoid an overly sweet dish of tacos or burgers, be sure the unripe jackfruit is what you place in your shopping cart since ripe jackfruit won't yield the same meaty taste we're after (ripe jackfruit is sweet, gummy, and often swimming in syrup). 

Unripe jackfruit at the ready, you can use your hands to break apart the pieces or enlist your food processor to give the fruit a quick pulse before you get to seasoning. Keep in mind that jackfruit will separate as it cooks, so preparing the fruit in advance will help ensure each mouthful is texturally satisfying and well seasoned. 

Slathered in barbecue sauce, seasoned with paprika and garlic powder, and topped off with lemon juice and coleslaw, jackfruit BBQ sandwiches can be the satisfying meal for the vegans and meat-free diners at your backyard dinner gathering. Should you make more than what is needed at your party, you can store leftovers in airtight containers in the fridge and sneak it into other meals throughout the week.