Fresh jack fruit is kind of difficult and you need to study the fruit before you buy it. I didn’t know until this week that it is a good idea to pick your jack fruit by the outer texture. I heard that the jack fruits with the biggest lumps (similar looking to durian) are the oldest and for most recipes you really want less ripe jack fruit that has a smoother outer texture (similar to a lumpy orange). Got lucky this time and picked a younger one but it still needs to be cooked. After you boil the jack fruit for about 45 minutes…. you will come across there are three edible parts of the jack fruit. Bulbs (are medium sweet and fruity) the pulled meat (not much of a flavor) and the seeds (taste sweet and chestnut-like when younger and more like a bean crossed with a chestnut when older). For this recipe you need to shop at the Asian Market. I shop at Asiana Market and I picked out a 2 1/2 lb piece of jackfruit and you also need to buy seafood mushrooms….(to help with that secret seafood flavor) You also need a small amount of roasted seaweed. Between the seafood mushrooms, seaweed and Old Bay Seasoning I think I got these faux Crab Cakes to be a little seafood like. I do note that fresh jackfruit is still difficult and is usually not sold young enough to use all the meat. That is why most restaurants only use canned jackfruit.
Ingredients for around 6 servings
2 1/2 lb piece of jack fruit (one with smaller lumpy skin…..don’t use one that has skin that looks like durian fruit)
5 oz seafood mushrooms (Asian Markets and I have seen them Whole Foods ) – chopped
.18 oz package roasted seaweed (a package chopped)
1/2 cup scallions – sliced thin
2 eggs – lightly beaten
1 cup whole wheat panko (bread crumbs)
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
15 crackers (I used Ritz…because that’s what I had) – crushed
1 cup whole wheat panko (for coating…..some will be wasted)
1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning to season the panko (this is for the coating)
Neutral non stick spray
Old Bay Seasoning to finish cakes on both sides
Directions
Set oven to 350 degrees F and spray a baking sheet or two with non stick spray and set baking sheets to the side.
If you are very sensitive or have an allergy to latex you might need to wear gloves. Cut you piece of jack fruit in half and put it in a pot, cover the fruit with water and boil for about 45 minutes or until soft.
When the fruit is cool enough to handle break it down into bulbs, meat and seeds.
It’s not hard anyone can do this. When you feel something hard DON’T USE IT. In the middle is a hard part you have to work around. Each bulb has a seed inside. If you want to eat the seeds you have to do it now. To eat the seeds you have to cut them in half and peel the hard shell off….When they cool they turn hard and aren’t so good. Or just throw the seeds out.
This is what I got out of my jack fruit.
Chop up the bulbs and pulled meat and get rid of the seeds. Add to a large bowl.
Now chop up the seafood mushrooms and add them to your bowl.
Add scallions, eggs, 1 cup panko, seasoning and crushed crackers. Let it rest for about 15 minutes.
in a small bowl combine 1 cup of panko with 1 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning.
Now make patties from the mixture that’s been resting. I made 5 patties… I grabbed a handful of the mixture and each patty weighed exactly 5.7 oz.
Press each patty into the seasoned crumbs and turn the patty over and press again getting crumbs on the sides too. Place patty on sprayed baking sheet and repeat till done.
The faux crab cakes go in the preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes on one side and get flipped over and stay in about 20 more minutes. When they come out of the over season the cakes on both sides with Old Bay Seasoning to taste.
Serve with lemon wedge, cocktail sauce and tarter sauce.
The sauces I whipped up and didn’t measure.
Cocktail Sauce – ketchup, prepared horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, chili pesto, sriracha, ground black pepper.
Tarter Sauce – home made dill pickle chopped, light mayo, fresh lemon juice, fresh dill, Aleppo pepper and ground black pepper
Enjoy!
