Whole Food Plant-based Chinese inspired Jackfruit recipe. (2024)

By Karen L Jones

You have probably all heard about the Whole Food Plant-based (or WFPB) diet and the amazing benefits it has on our health. Or maybe you haven’t? I am one of those who rave about it’s benefits to anyone and everyone I can. I am not going to go into this here as I know you really just want to get to the food! Although I would like to recommend you do yourself a favour and do a little research.

I eat this way on a day to day basis and I don’t think I have made the same dish once! The reason for this is when you make all your dishes from scratch, with fresh ingredients you have so much choice! It turns your kitchen into an alchemist’s lab almost, where you work your magic trying out all kinds of combinations and methods to see what results you get. Just by having your kitchen stocked with all these wonderful fresh ingredients, it inspires you as soon as you open your cupboard or fridge.

People have turned to the WFPB way of eating for many reasons. It entails eating clean food that has not been processed in ways that it would contain additives that are toxic to our bodies. It’s about eating the WHOLE plant with all it’s fibres still intact. Strictly WFPB eaters or WFPBNO (no oil) also exclude oils and fats from their diets such as margarine and vegetable oils as they are refined, stripped of the essential fibres, high-heat treated and chemically treated which can be toxic for our bodies. So you can eat olives which are a great source of healthy fat but not olive oil. You can eat sunflower seeds as they are whole and still have the fibres you need to digest the fat it contains easily, but not sunflower oil. With products based on wheat like pasta and noodles. We choose the wholemeal or whole wheat versions because it is higher in fibre, manganese and selenium. Refined white pasta is lower in most micronutrients and fibre but higher in calories. The same with rice we choose brown or whole grain because it contains the bran and germ providing us with the fibre, vitamins and minerals that white rice no longer has.

This recipe contains brown rice and a bunch of delicious vegetables. Eating fruit and vegetables reduces the risk of many chronic diseases. Reduces blood cholesterol, lowering the risk of heart disease and helps form healthy red blood cells. This recipe makes use of carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, pak choi, onion, Garlic, yummy, chunky mushrooms and the star of the dish Jackfruit! That’s it. Simple right? Not to mention tasty, so very tasty.

Now for the serious tongue treat, the tastebud sensation of spices and herbs! Spices and herbs are sooooo good for you!! They are bursting with healthy compounds, rich in phytochemicals which fight inflammation and reduce damage to your body’s cells. I use plenty in every dish I make! I try to use seeds such as chia and linseed(flax) in all my dishes as well, for the omega 3 fatty acid. Omega 3 has various health benefits including maintenance of the body's cells. In this dish, I used ginger, pepper, paprika, Celtic sea salt and Chinese five-spice which is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel, star anise, and Szechwan peppercorns. Is your mouth watering yet? :)

So now on to the 2 remaining ingredients, chickpea flour and soy sauce. Chickpea flour also is known as Garbanzo flour, is a better alternative to corn flour. Cornflour really doesn’t add any nutritional value for its calories so I opted for the healthy choice. Chickpea flour is high in macronutrients and fibre. It contains folate, iron, magnesium and zinc. It is also high in protein, there are 11 grams in half a cup! Good stuff!! The last ingredient Soy sauce adds such a lovely flavour I enjoy so much in dishes inspired by oriental food. It is high in sodium so don’t go too mad with it, but it is lower in sodium than table salt. It is the only ingredient I can’t honestly say adds much nutritional value to the dish but it can be enjoyed as part of a WFPB diet. Since I have made this dish I tend to use miso more often than soy. Miso is made of fermented soybeans. It is rich in various B vitamins, vitamins E, K and folic acid. Fermented foods contain beneficial bacteria that is very good for gut health and gut health is linked to mental and physical wellbeing. So if you wanted to use miso instead so every ingredient counts, then please do!

Before I go on to the recipe, I just want to say I do hope you enjoy this dish as much as I did. This is the very first of my recipes I have shared here but most certainly not the last! Horray! I hear you say. (hopefully) Please feel free to comment and make suggestions for future posts. I’d love to hear from you!! If you try this please let me know how yours turns out. If you have any other ideas for recipes you would like me to try and to check the ingredients of, I would love to do that. I love to cook good food so just throw your suggestions my way and I will see what I can come up with. Thank you so much for reading this I hope it was informative and useful.

You all take care and enjoy eating nutritious and delicious food!

Lots of love, hugs and peace to you all! ❤ Karen xx

INGREDIENTS: Serves 4

4 cups of brown rice

2 Large carrots

1 small Broccoli

1 small Cauliflower

1 medium Pak choi

1 large Onion red or brown

2 cloves of Garlic

2 cups of Mushrooms

1 tin of Jackfruit in water

Half a teaspoon of Ginger

Pepper add to your personal taste preference

1 teaspoon of Paprika

Half a teaspoon of Chinese five-spice

Half a tablespoon of Chickpea Flour add more as needed to thicken the sauce

1 tablespoon Soy sauce

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook the rice as per usual. You can add some herbs to the rice if you wish.
2. Mix the jackfruit pieces, Chickpea flour and soy sauce in a bowl.
3. Chop up the onion and garlic and add to the bowl. Let it stand whilst you chop up the Carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms and pak choi. Cut them thin, or your dish will take a long time to cook.
4. Next, start cooking the jackfruit mix in a wok or saute pan on high heat. Add a little water now and again to keep the pan moist otherwise it will stick to it.
5. Then add the other vegetables and keep adding splashes of water if it starts to stick.
6. Gradually stir in each of the spices. Ginger, pepper, paprika, and Chinese five-spice.
7. Keep adding water and/or soy sauce to manipulate the consistency, quantity and flavour of your sauce. Keep the pot covered until the harder vegetables have softened then take off the lid and stir. This part is really about getting the textures and sauce just how you want it. I like quite a bit of sauce and if you find it is too watery you can add a spoonful of flaxmeal to thicken it further, adding those essential Omega 3 fatty acids. ;)
8. Now the cooking is complete. Serve over the rice and tuck in! Enjoy your meal!