| Prep: 30 mins | Cook: 1 hr 30 mins | Difficulty: Medium | Serves: 6 |
| kcal | fat | saturates | carbs |
| 350 | 18g | 12g | 36g |
| sugars | fibre | protein | salt |
| 15g | 3g | 5g | 1.2g |
Why I Love Singaporean Jackfruit Rendang
Allow me to introduce you to a Singaporean masterpiece that quickly stole my heart and taste buds – the vibrant Jackfruit Rendang. As someone who loves to merge flavors and techniques from diverse locations, coming across this recipe was akin to stumbling upon a culinary treasure.
Diving into the Flavors
The Jackfruit Rendang strikes a harmony between sweet, spicy, and savory that causes a delightful symphony of flavors to dance upon the tongue. This succulent vegetarian take on the classic Rendang creates an exotic taste profile that reminds me of my own journey in blending Creole and French flavors in dessert creations.
Just as beignets and éclairs hold a special place in my heart and culinary repertoire, this Singaporean dish, with its seamless fusion of ingredients, echoes the essence of enjoyable and creative food exploration. The zest of the lemongrass, the spiciness of the Thai chilis, and the sweet aromatic jackfruit combined with warm spices is simply unbeatable.
A Nod to Culinary Inspirations
Though this recipe is not pulled from my French ancestry or my Louisiana upbringing, it holds inspirations from chefs and cuisines from across the globe. In particular, chef Justin Quek, renowned for his fusion creations and Singaporean heritage, serves as a guiding culinary light. With his boundary-pushing and flavor-fusing techniques, he has pushed me to think outside the standard gastronomy boxes in my own kitchen. In this recipe, I see a similar adventurous spirit and passion for innovation.
Complementary Dishes
But a meal does not stand alone, and the Jackfruit Rendang is no exception. This fiery, flavorful dish is commonly paired with rice to tame the heat and provide a wholesome, satisfying meal. Taking cultural cues, it also goes well with roti prata, a Singaporean Indian flatbread, for an all-encompassing Singaporean dinner experience.
So here’s to breaking culinary barriers, to blending different worlds of flavors, and most importantly, to the adventurous, open-minded food lovers – because in the end, the love for food knows no boundaries, and the Jackfruit Rendang is a perfect testament to that.
What You’ll Need
- 1 ripe jackfruit (roughly 2lbs), deseeded and cut into chunks
- 2 cans of coconut milk (approximately 13.5 oz each)
- 5 fresh red Thai chilis
- 2 stalks of lemongrass
- 4 shallots, peeled
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
- 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled
- 1 tablespoon of ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric
- 2 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon of tamarind paste
- 1 tablespoon of palm sugar (or to your taste)
- Salt to taste
- 4 kaffir lime leaves
- 2 bay leaves
Method
Step One
Prepare your ingredients. Deseed and cut the ripe jackfruit into chunks. Peel the shallots, garlic, and ginger. Slice your red Thai chilis and lemongrass stalks. Keep your spices handy.
Step Two
Use a blender or food processor to make your spice paste. Combine the shallots, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chilis, ground coriander, ground cumin, and ground turmeric. Blend until you obtain a paste-like consistency.
Step Three
Heat a large pot on the stovetop. Once hot, add your blended spice mixture. Fry this for a few minutes until it becomes aromatic. Be careful to stir continuously so it does not stick to the bottom of the pot.
Step Four
Add the jackfruit chunks into the pot with the spices. Mix well to coat the fruit with the spice paste. Fry for another 5 minutes.
Step Five
Add in the coconut milk, star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, tamarind paste, palm sugar, and salt. Stir well to combine and bring the mixture to a boil.
Step Six
Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, add the kaffir lime leaves and bay leaves. Let the mix simmer for about an hour, or until the jackfruit is tender and the sauce has thickened. You can adjust the flavor with more salt or palm sugar if necessary during this step.
Step Seven
Remove the star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, kaffir lime leaves, and bay leaves before serving. Your Jackfruit Rendang is now ready to be enjoyed!
