Mít & tàu hũ kho tương is a fairly common vegetarian dish in the Buddhist community. Mít (”jackfruit” in Vietnamese) is picked when it’s still green. First, the young fruit is boiled to soften it. Then it’s braised in soy sauce and used as a vegetable to accompany tofu. Like tofu, unseasoned green jackfruit is fairly bland but acts as a sponge and absorbs the flavors of the sauce.
The cooking procedure helps to give the jackfruit a soft texture that resembles the pork fat in thịt kho (braised meat), and the stringy texture of the jackfruit simulates the stringy texture of the meat. The result is quite pleasant and surprising. Next time you’re in an Asian market, look for fresh young jackfruit; it’s delicious!
1. Info for Green Jackfruit with Tofu
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr 10 mins
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 130 kcal
2. Ingredients for Green Jackfruit with Tofu
- ½ green jackfruit, boiled
- 1 (18-ounce) package firm tofu
- 2 tablespoons canola oil (or any neutral oil)
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, julienned, cut about 1″ long
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 (12-ounce) can coconut soda (or water)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1-½ tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon mushroom seasoning salt (or regular salt)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
- 4 sprigs cilantro (optional), for garnish
3. Directions:
- Prepping the jackfruit: Drain the green jackfruit. Pat dry using paper towels. Cut into 1-½” pieces. Pan-frying the tofu: Drain the liquid from the package of the tofu. Pat the tofu dry with a paper towel. Cut the piece of tofu into ½-inch slices. In a wok, heat the canola oil. Pan-fry the slices on both sides until golden. The tofu should have a nice fried outer crust and still be moist inside. Transfer the tofu onto paper towels, leaving as much oil as possible in the wok. Sprinkle with salt. Allow to cool a little. As soon as the tofu is not too hot to handle, cut each slice crosswise into thirds Braising both the tofu and jackfruit: In the same wok, add more oil if necessary. Add the garlic and ginger. As the garlic becomes slightly golden, add the tofu. Add the chili garlic sauce, red chili powder and brown sugar. Stir-fry for a minute, then add the jackfruit. Immediately add coconut soda (or water) and soy sauce. Toss the ingredients constantly until all the liquid is absorbed. Season with mushroom seasoning salt. Transfer to a serving platter. Garnish with fresh cilantro. Serve with jasmine brown rice (it’s healthy and as delicious as regular jasmine rice) and nước chấm dipping sauce. Eat with chopticks!
