Tostadas mit Jackfrucht und Pico de Gallo (tostadas with jackfruit and pico de gallo)

Method

1. Drain the jackfruit thoroughly and shred it with two forks, discarding any hard core pieces.
2. Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sauté the onion and garlic for 4 minutes.
3. Add the shredded jackfruit, cumin and smoked paprika. Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing down to encourage browning, for 10 to 12 minutes, until deeply browned at the edges and no longer wet. Season with salt.
4. Meanwhile, combine the tomato, red onion, jalapeño if using, cilantro and lime juice for the pico de gallo.
5. Top each tostada shell with the seared jackfruit, pico de gallo and a few slices of avocado.

Notes

• Sear the jackfruit hard, don’t just warm it through. Canned jackfruit tastes bland and slightly sour on its own; real caramelisation in a hot pan develops the savoury depth that lets it stand in convincingly for pulled meat.
• Drain and shred thoroughly before cooking. Excess liquid left in the jackfruit steams it in the pan instead of letting it sear and brown properly.
• Use jackfruit canned in brine, not syrup. Syrup-packed jackfruit is meant for desserts and will make the filling taste sweet rather than savoury.
• Assemble just before serving, since tostada shells soften quickly once topped.

Ingredient substitutions

• Jalapeño can be left out for a milder version, or swapped for a pinch of chili flakes.
• Corn tostada shells can be made at home by frying corn tortillas until crisp, if not available ready-made.
• A drizzle of vegan sour cream on top is a good addition.