Jackfruit Thai Curry --- Vegan / Plant based

Earlier this year, I picked up a copy of Michael Gregar's new cookbook - "How Not To Die Cookbook".  Yes, a bit of a strange title, but the essence of the book is how to eat healthy, avoid the downfalls of poor health (by choice of diet) and how to improve your life by way of eating "plant based".  As John (husband) has been a vegetarian for 35 years, I am always interested in trying out new recipes and ideas and of course eating healthy is key to me/us.  At any rate, I discovered "jackfruit" in this book and have been playing around with different recipes.  This one is an adaptation of one I found via a google search.   Julie Cowan - this recipe is for you!  xo ~ 

Ingredients

1 -2 tablespoons of coconut oil

1 20 oz can of jackfruit (available at Trader Joe’s) drain and rinse, chop into smaller chunks

5 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion – coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon of fresh chopped ginger

1 teaspoon (depending on taste) of red Thai Curry paste

½ of a 5 oz can of water chestnuts (I saved the remainder and mixed it up with tuna / salad)

3 small heads of bok choy (chop into small bite sizes, including tops, wash in cold H20, drain, set aside)

1/ 2 carrot, sliced into matchsticks
1-2 cups of vegetable broth

1 cup coconut milk

Fresh basil to taste

Directions

1. Heat coconut oil in a large skillet/saucepan over medium high heat
2. Add the onion / ginger and cook for 2-3 minutes, then add the curry paste
3. Mix well -- -add in the jackfruit, coating well.  Cook for 5 minutes
4. Add in the water chestnuts and carrots and then the broth
5. Continue to cook, shredding the jackfruit (two forks work well) adding broth as you go, to not dry out the jackfruit, veggies (check and add as you go – for 30 minutes).
6. Add in the coconut milk. If you have a heavy hand as I do with curry pastes, you can dim the fire by adding a wee bit of coconut sugar.
7. Heat all ingredients together for about 5 minutes 
8. Add in the basil, until it wilts
9. Add in the bok choy for just a minute or two, to keep it crisp and colorful
10. You are ready to dish up this easy, tasty meal

Serve over Jasmine rice --- and as Julia would say --- Bon Apetit!