E! Proclaims Jackfruit the New Hot Veg Substitute

Entertainment news source E! reports that jackfruit may be the new go-to ingredient for vegan meat substitutions. The fruit, which is cultivated primarily in Asia and Africa, has a thick, bristly skin, a yellow and juicy inside, and can grow up to three feet long, according to Purdue Horticulture. So far, jackfruit has been favored at a few high profile vegan eateries including one of Ellen DeGeneres’ favorite food trucks Seabirds—featured on The Food Network’s The Great Food Truck Race—as well as Los Angeles’ Susan Feniger’s Street. Feniger is partial to jackfruit because it’s dynamic and healthy. “It’s an all-natural plant ingredient that is not processed, and exists in natural world,” the culinary expert tells E! “When shredded and cooked, it takes on almost any flavor, so that it is a natural complement to the spices and flavors we use.”