"Pulled pork" sandwiches… for vegans!

Yes, I've been hibernating. But with summer's end comes delicious new adventures to try, and a newfound motivation to spend Sunday afternoons over a bubbling pot of one thing or the other. Bonus points if it takes you three separate trips to various Asian grocery stores around town to round up the ingredients for a single meal. Double bonus points if there are enough leftovers to carry you through an entire week.

Triple bonus points if what you've made is vegan and, yes, a little bit weird. You know, like "pulled pork" sandwiches made out of canned jackfruit.

So delicious, so vegan.

I have been pretty much obsessed with the idea of this recipe since I saw it on Pinterest (I know, I know) several weeks ago, but despite being practically surrounded by ethnic markets I had a heckuva time tracking down anything but ripe canned jackfruit in syrup, as opposed to the young green type in brine this dish calls for. (Do not get the two confused for this recipe, unless you want to serve your sandwiches as some kind of disgusting dessert prank.)

Once I tracked the right stuff down, however, I stocked up—and now I'm glad I did, because let me tell you I will be making this all. the. time. And you should, too! Here's how.

1 can young jackfruit in brine, rinsed and drained hearty rolls, like ciabatta, split and toasted For the rub 1 tsp chile powder 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1/4 tsp paprika 1/8 tsp cayenne salt + pepper For the cookin' 1 small onion, minced 2 garlic cloves, minced 4 tbs barbecue sauce (or make your own) 1 tsp red-wine vinegar 1/2 cup water

After rinsing and draining the jackfruit well, slice the center part from each piece, so that all you're left with is the sort of stringy outer rim of the fruit. (If you like, you can mince the pieces you've sliced off and add them back to the mix, so as to not waste; they just won't be as soft as the rest of the fruit.) Coat the pieces with the dry rub and set aside for a few minutes. In a medium saucepan, cook onion and garlic in a little of your preferred cooking liquid (olive oil or butter; I typically use a splash of water and white vinegar) until soft and translucent. Add the sauce, vinegar and jackfruit to the pan, mixing well to coat. Stir in the water, and bring to a boil. Make sure all the jackfruit is at least mostly covered in the liquid mixture; add more water if necessary. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook until soft (about 30 minutes), stirring occasionally. The sauce will thicken, and the jackfruit will absorb most of it. Once cooked and softened, scoop onto split and toasted buns, and eat with or without more hot sauce. Enjoy the mess! Yields enough for 4 sandwiches.