One of the best feelings in the world is when we manage to develop vegan versions of foods we used to eat before we were vegan.
We use jackfruit in this recipe instead of chicken for its stringy texture. Then we pile in loads of herbs and spices for a deliciously warm and aromatic flavour.
And have you heard the news…? Our debut cookbook So Vegan in 5 is out right now.
The book features over 100 super simple 5-ingredient recipes, making it easier than ever before to cook delicious vegan food.
Enjoy!
Roxy & Ben
Kentucky Fried Jackfruit
Full recipe: sovegan.co/kfjPosted by So Vegan on Sunday, 27 January 2019
Kentucky Fried Jackfruit
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Ingredients
- 1 x 565g (20oz) tin young green jackfruit in brine
- vegetable oil
- small handful parsley
For the spicy coating:
- 1 tsp cajun seasoning
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
For the batter:
- 60g (2.1oz) plain flour, plus extra for coating
- 250ml (8.5fl.oz) plant-based milk
- 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp dried mixed herbs
- 125ml (4.2fl.oz) water, if required
The cupboard essentials:
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 356°F fan-assisted and line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Drain and rinse the jackfruit, then slice each piece into bite-sized chunks and trim the hard core ends. Then add to a mixing bowl along along with all the ingredients for the spicy coating and stir until fully combined. Transfer the jackfruit to the lined baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, turning the jackfruit pieces halfway through.
- Meanwhile, combine the batter ingredients in a separate mixing bowl until smooth and runny, and set to one side. You can add up to 125ml of water if the batter is too thick. Next, add a few tablespoons of plain flour to a separate plate and set to one side. Then place a frying pan on a medium-high heat and pour enough vegetable oil in so that the oil is 1cm deep.
- Once the jackfruit has finished baking, test the oil is hot enough by dropping a small amount of the batter into the pan. If it sizzles it is ready for the jackfruit.
- Dip the jackfruit pieces in the batter, then in the flour, then place in the hot oil and fry for 30 seconds on each side or until crispy and golden brown, then place on kitchen towel to soak up the oil. Note: we prefer to fry the jackfruit in two batches.
- Roughly chop the parsley and serve the jackfruit with a sprinkling of salt, parsley and with your favourite dipping sauce, such as vegan mayo or ketchup.
19 comments
Hey I tried making this but the batter is far too liquidy. I would suggest to adjust this for others’ sake. Very delicious though! Thanks 🙂
What did you do to fix that?
Hey Lana. Yes the batter is liquidy but it should still be thick enough to coat the jackfruit. You can also add some more flour if you’re worried it’s too liquidy. Glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks, Ben
Can you use an air fryer for this recipe? If so, what time and temp?
Hey Sonia. Sorry we haven’t tried using an air fryer, but if you give this a go then do let us know how you get on! Thanks, Ben
I have a question. I’ve been told that you need to shred, and soak/rinse/soak repeat the jackfruit, to get rid of the brine flavor.
I am intrigued to see this recipe using the actual chunks of jackfruit, rather than shredding it. What a great idea! But do you still need to soak the chunks to remove the brine flavor, or…is the brine flavor not an issue with this recipe? Thank you!! I can’t wait to try this.
Hi Amy! As long as you drain and rinse the jackfruit, it will be fine. We’ve never soaked jackfruit in brine. Maybe you’d have to do this for recipes without as much flavouring/seasoning, but for this recipe we use lots of spices, etc, so it’s not an issue. Hope that helps! Thanks.
They are referring to jackfruit that comes in brine already in the can (some brands pack it in water), so the worry was if the brine taste would still be there without soaking/rinsing with water first.
Can you give suggestions on which herbs to use and what is in cajun seasoning? New to vegan cooking and have not gotten to the level where I can improvise on recipes.. need every little detail written out 🙂
A mixture of thyme, oregano and basil would work really well. If you can’t find cajun, you can try any other Southern American-style seasoning, if that’s easy to find? Cajun is a seasoning mix of various things. Hope that helps!
I’m a foodservice supervisor at a children’s shelter and the kids love this! (I cut back on the spices.) It’s a great alternative to those ghastly chicken nuggets. Thank you!
Oh wow that’s awesome! So glad you and the children are enjoying the recipe!
Wondering if you could do the baking section ahead of time and then just coat and fry before serving or is it important they are hot from the oven? Thanks.
Ooo good question. They might be too dry if you bake, then reheat because a lot of the moisture might escape. It might be worth experimenting on a small batch to see the results.
Hi there,
When you say plant based milk, is there a particular you prefer?
Regards,
Mervan
Hi Mervan, we tend to use soya or oat a lot but any would work in this recipe. Thanks, Roxy
Aloha Roxy! Any chance you know how to use fresh Jackfruit for your Kentucky Jackfruit recipe? I see them at my weekly farmers market here on Kauai as well as Breadfruit aka Ulu. The local culture leans towards over cooking and adulterating of the beautiful tropical produce here. My vegan palate is starving for simple, fresh prep for the gorgeous bounty available. Any ideas?
Would love an answer on this as well. I am down to brine it myself.
Have you calculated the macros?