Goa-based entrepreneur introduces jack meat; aims to give jackfruit its due

Two years ago British newspaper The Guardian found itself in the middle of a controversy because of a particularly harsh and offensive article about a tropical fruit the jackfruit ldquoA spectacularly ugly smelly unfarmed unharvested pestplant native to Indiardquo is how the article described it Indians were outraged at the piece titled lsquoJackfruit is a vegan sensation could I make it taste delicious at homersquo If you ask Sairaj Dhond founder and CEO of Wakao Foods hersquod say a quick yes to that questionThe startup offers readytocook and readytoeat options including burger patties and jackfruit teriyakiJackfruit or kathal is intrinsic to the culture and food in many parts of India Goabased Dhond is a lawyer by education and entrepreneur by passion He runs the sustainable food brand that offers handpicked natural food products that he says are healthy tasty and crueltyfree His latest offering is jack meat Incidentally the fruit is grown in his own backyard One of the reasons for focusing on jackfruit meat he says is because itrsquos relatively lesser known among the multiple meat substitutes available commercially whether mushroom soya chunks or cottage cheese ldquoDuring the pandemic I witnessed a lot of people looking for a change in diet So while the world was under lockdown we were busy with research to launch the vegan meatrdquo His job was made simpler given that the fruit is immensely versatile ldquoIt is high in fibre content and has a unique texture that makes it come apart in a fashion similar to pulled chicken when cooked It also ranks among the worldrsquos top superfoods making for a guiltfree vegan and glutenfree alternative to meat with restricted use of GMOsrdquoJackfruit is typically used to mimic pulled meat and goes well with tacosDhondrsquos range includes readytocook varieties such as teriyaki jack which can be paired with a slider or stuffed inside a frankie the BBQ jack is a hearty filling for wraps and the jack burger patty lends itself to meatball or fishcakelike dishes all priced at Rs 300 onwards The butter jack can be used for a quick meal along with a side of steamed rice They also offer raw jack meatThe unripe pod has a fairly neutral taste and takes on the flavour of the spices yoursquore using Here Dhond has used it in XacutiCurrently Dhondrsquos products are available onlinewakaofoodscom and across select supermarkets in Mumbai He says one of the challenges in launching a business such as this during the pandemic was having to travel and conduct physical meetings in jackfruitgrowing regions ldquoI had to visit remote villages in Kerala and Goa to set up our raw material procurement and supply chain It was exciting nonethelessrdquo Dhond believes the mock meat market in India although nascent is a segment waiting to explode ldquoThe demand for sustainable food and veganism is rising every day With the pandemic people are ready to explore and understand alternative meat and its benefitsrdquoHis next challenge is to get restaurants to embrace jackfruitRaw jackfruit meat Shikampuri kebabsIngredientsPart cookedboiled and shredded 1 cup of young jackfruit1 tbsp chana dalsplit bengal gram 1 tsp ginger12 tsp garlic1 tsp cumin powder12 tsp coriander powder12 tsp garam masala14 tsp amchoor56 whole peppercornsSalt to taste1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves 1 finely chopped green chillies 1 mediumsized onion finely chopped1 tbsp coconut yogurtMethodBlitz the jackfruit chana dal ginger garlic cumin powder coriander power garam masala amchoor peppercorns and salt for 5 seconds for ingredients to mix and become a smooth pasteAdd coriander leaves green chillies and onion and put the mix away in the fridge for an hourShape the kebab mix into flat round cutlets spoon in a small dollop of coconut yogurt and shape into balls before flattening them into Shikampuri kebabLet these sit in the freezer again for another hourShallow fry them to a perfect char on a flat panServe with spicy coriander mint chutney raw onion rings and lemon