Green Jackfruit Sloppy Joe Sliders

When I first discovered Green Jackfruit the first thing I wanted to try them in was a Sloppy Joe Slider. I was not disappointed!

Ingredients
makes enough to generously fill 2 bread rolls

565g (20 fl.oz) tin of young green jackfruit, (preferably in water not brine)

for the seasoning
1 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chilli powder

for the sauce
400g chopped tomatoes, tinned
1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
85g brown sugar
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp mustard powder
3 tbsp cider vinegar
2 tbsp mushroom ketchup sauce

Method
Prepare the sauce beforehand. 

Heat the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat then add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes until softened. Add all of the remaining dry ingredients, stir well and cook for a further minute. Add the tomatoes, vinegar and mushroom ketchup and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes to thicken. Allow to cool then whizz with a food blender to create a smooth sauce.

Next, rinse the green jackfruit thoroughly, then dry on kitchen paper. Remove the hard core centre of the pieces with a knife and discard. Place the remaining fruit in a large mixing bowl.  

Mix the seasoning ingredients together then add to the jackfruit and mix well to coat all the pieces. 

Heat a large frying pan to a medium heat. Add 2 tbsp of veg oil then add the seasoned jackfruit. Cook for only some 3 minutes to colour the fruit slightly. 

Add to the pan around 180ml of your homemade BBQ sauce. Mix well and add some water to thin the sauce down a little. Cover the pan with a lid abd reduce the heat to a medium to low temperature. Cook slowly for about 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally throughout. 

To serve breakup the jackfruit pieces using two forks to shred into a "pulled-pork" style finish. Place in a warm bread roll topped with any extras of your choice. I went for a slice of smoked cheese and a chargrilled red pepper.