Regional Cuisine

Jackfruit Pibil Tacos

by Irene

Click here to go to printable recipe: Jackfruit Pibil Tacos

In one of my posts, I have talked about jackfruit as an excellent vegan ingredient; when the fruit of the jackfruit is still green, its pods, seeds and flesh surrounding the pods may be cooked and used as a vegan alternative to meat. Young green jackfruit is available already cooked and packed, either in cans, or vacuum sealed, as shown below:

In another post, I have mentioned the piib, a pit where food is cooked buried in a bed of hot coals and rocks, which has been used in the Yucatan peninsula and some parts of Central America since pre-Hispanic times.  Because an annatto-based paste called “recado rojo” or “pasta de achiote” is often used to condiment food cooked in the piib, the name “pibil” is given to dishes with that seasoning, even though nowadays many are prepared in a regular oven or even in a pan.  The seasoning may be found commercially as bricks, or made at home starting with annatto powder and spices:

Brick vs powder achiote
Envelopes of annatto (achiote) powder and boxes of prepared recado rojo bricks

Inspired by the jackfruit pibil tacos from Rosalinda restaurant in Toronto, featured in my previous post, I decided to experiment at home combining jackfruit with recado rojo.  The tacos at the restaurant were made with small corn tortillas, called taqueras, which are about 3 inches in diameter (7.5 cm).  I have found them at Hispanic stores in Toronto:

018 small tortillas taqueras_LI

Since I have not been to Toronto lately (or elsewhere, really, due to social distancing), I made a batch of tortillas taqueras at home (see detailed directions at the end of this post).  Of course, there’s no need to feel disconcerted if regular sized corn tortillas are the only option available.

Jackfruit Pibil Tacos – Tacos de jaca pibil

Printable recipe: Jackfruit Pibil Tacos

Printable recipe: Recado rojo

Printable recipe: Tortillas taqueras

Printable recipe: Marinated Red Onions

Ingredients

1 package (7 oz, 200g, approximately 1 cup) cooked green jackfruit
½ batch recado rojo (printable recipe above, or ½ brick)
¼ cup sour orange juice (or mix 2 tbsp orange juice, 2 tbsp white vinegar and a squirt lime juice)
2 tbsp oil
Salt, to taste
Warm corn tortillas; preferably taqueras (small size, 3 inches, 7.5 cm, approximately; store bought or printable recipe above)
Marinated red onions (printable recipe above)
Cilantro; washed and chopped
Pickled hot peppers (banana, habanero, etc.); optional

Mix recado rojo and sour juice using a fork (photo below, left); once a smooth paste has been formed, incorporate jackfruit (photo below, right):

Mix thoroughly, breaking up jackfruit into bite size pieces (photo below, left); reserve.  Warm up oil in a large frying pan over medium heat; add jackfruit and cook for two to three minutes, stirring (photo below, right):

Season with salt, to taste.  Fill warm tortillas with jackfruit pibil, top with marinated onions, chopped cilantro and hot peppers, to taste; serve immediately:

007 jackfruit pibil tacos

It did not take much time to prepare these delicious tacos, and I was grateful to be able to offer a tasty homemade lunch, which could be enjoyed by vegetarian and omnivore eaters alike.

Tortillas taqueras

Printable recipe: Tortillas taqueras

Ingredients (for approximately 16 tortillas)

2 cups nixtamal corn flour (masa harina, such as Bob’s Red Mill™)
1 ½ water, plus more if needed
1 tsp salt, or to taste

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl, and measure water:

001 ingredients

Add water and mix, allowing flour to hydrate (photo below, left).  If necessary, add a little more water, until a smooth ball may be formed; cover and let rest for 15 minutes (photo below, right):

Prepare a tortilla press (or a flat surface and a cutting board or large pan), lining with plastic sheets (I use a food storage bag, cut open like a book).  Preheat a dry skillet (no oil) over medium heat.  Take a portion of dough the size of a walnut and form into a ball, placing it on the plastic on the press (photo below, left).  Cover with plastic (close the “book”) then close the press and apply pressure to flatten the dough (photo below, right):

Open press, and remove top layer of plastic (open the “book”, photo below, left); flip to transfer to the palm of one hand, and remove other layer of plastic (photo below, right):

Carefully slide disc onto preheated skillet; repeat steps to make more discs, cooking in batches (photo below, left); turn discs after about one minute, and allow the other side to cook (photo below, right):

I am bringing my recipe to Thursday Favourite Things #437 with Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, Pam @ An Artful Mom, Katherine @ Katherine’s Corner, Amber @ Follow the Yellow Brick Home, Theresa @ Shoestring Elegance and Linda @ Crafts a la Mode.

I am sharing my tacos at Full Plate Thursday #482 with Miz Helen at Miz Helen’s Country Cottage.

I am joining Fiesta Friday #326 with Angie @ Fiesta Friday, co-hosting this week with this week are Antonia @ Zoale.com and Zeba @ Food For The Soul.

I am also sharing my recipe at What’s for Dinner? Sunday Link-Up #251 with Helen @ The Lazy Gastronome.

And I am bringing my tacos to Over the Moon #223 co-hosted by Bev @ Eclectic Red Barn, and Marilyn @ Marilyn’s Treats.

24 thoughts on “Jackfruit Pibil Tacos”

  1. Visiting you at Spin the wheel and TFT Party and will pin this post. My share this week is #130, “Boost Immunity with Plant-based Foods for Wellness.” Be well, stay safe, and have a good week.

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  2. Thank you. This clears up something for me. When I was growing up, green jackfruit was a common ingredient in the kitchen. In fact my gradmother had a word for it which would translate as tree-goat. at that time I could not see the point of substituting meat by jackfruit, but it is something that I now remember fondly.

    We also used to dry the seed of the jackfruit and use them in curries. I suppose the seeds must also be used in the Mexican kitchen.

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    1. I believe jackfruit did not make it to Mexico until relatively recent times, and it had been grown to eat ripen, as a fruit. It is the vegan philosophy that is making it popular as a meat substitute. “Tree goat” makes a lot of sense in that context, doesn’t it?

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    2. I was thinking: are the chunks precooked? If not, you will have to boil them or roast them until tender, with the fleshy part shredding easily.

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      3. I am assuming you know how to grind them (spice or coffee grinder, or mortar and pestle) because the blender will not do the job. Once you gave the powder, just follow the link to prepare “recado rojo” and then follow the recipe.

        Liked by 1 person

    1. My vegetarian daughter introduced me to jackfruit at vegan restaurants; I found canned jackfruit at an Asian grocery store, and the package shown in this post was from WalMart. I hope you find it soon!

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  7. Thank you for sharing at #OverTheMoon. Pinned and shared. Have a lovely week. I hope to see you at next week’s party too! Please stay safe and healthy. Come party with us at Over The Moon! Catapult your content Over The Moon! @marilyn_lesniak @EclecticRedBarn

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  8. Pingback: Post #400 National Taco Day 2020 – My Slice of Mexico

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