Happy (belated) Cinco de Mayo everyone!

If you remember my Bullet Journal post (here), you’ll remember that I am always late to the party when it comes to trends. I recently heard about jackfruit, a food that vegans and vegetarians use as a meat substitute. Now, I am not a vegan/vegetarian nor could I live without chicken or In-N-Out burgers, but I wanted to give it a try. Jackfruit is a fruit that is native to Southwest India. It has a couple of nutritional benefits (such as fiber, protein, and antioxidants), but I hear people love the fruit because it tastes like pork.

For over a week, I had a craving for empanadas but didn’t know any good places around me. I also wanted to use the Jackfruit in a dish different than “pulled pork.” Then it hit me, I should put the Jackfruit inside the empanadas! And what better day to eat empanadas than Cinco de Mayo?!? And before I tell you how I made it, I wanted to share a little about the history of Cinco de Mayo. Most Americans believe Cinco de Mayo is the Independence Day for Mexicans; it is not. On May 5, 1862, Mexico beat France in the Battle of Puebla. This win over France was a symbolic win for the Mexican Government and helped gain support for the resistance movement (read more here). Now that you have a little more background about this day, let’s get to the recipe.

For these empanadas, you’ll need six main ingredients:

1/2 c. of Rice

1 can of Rotel Tomatoes (original)

1 can of Young Green Jackfruit

1 can of Black Beans

1 1/2 Tbsp. of Better than Bouillon (or you can substitute chicken stock)

Empanada Discs

           

 

Start by toasting 1/2 cup of rice in a deep skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, on medium heat. While the rice is in the pot, drain your Rotel Tomatoes, Jackfruit, and black beans. Once the rice has been toasted (approximately 2 minutes), stir in the Rotel Tomatoes and black beans. Next, chop up the Jackfruit into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Then stir in the Jackfruit with the rest of the ingredients. Season everything with salt and pepper (to your preference), 1/4 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper, 1/2 tablespoon of cumin, 1 1/2 tablespoon of Better than Bouillon, and a splash of water. Put a lid on the skillet and let simmer until the rice is fully cooked. (Note: if you use Better than Bouillon, you may have to add more water during this step).

Take your empanada discs and roll out with a rolling pin. (Note: make sure to thaw out your empanada discs). I bought my empanada discs at a local Hispanic store, but they should have them wherever Hispanic foods are sold. Next, place some of the rice filling onto one side of the empanada disc and fold over; ensure that no filling is coming out of the discs. Seal each disc by taking a fork and pressing down, almost like you would do to a pie crust. At this point, you can either fry or bake your empanadas. This time, I baked them at 400 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. If you choose to bake your empanadas, brush them with an egg wash prior to placing them in the oven. Once fifteen minutes (or so) has elapsed, take out the empanadas and enjoy!

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I hope you enjoyed this post. If you try this recipe, please tell me how you like it by commenting below. Also, if you would like to see more recipes with jackfruit, comment below and I will try to make them.

Thank you for reading my post! As always, like/comment/share and subscribe for much more to come. Lastly, make sure to follow my Instagram account (my_attempt_at_adulting), as I share more food, bujo, and traveling inspiration with you.

Love,

Britt ♥