Oven-baked spiced jackfruit serves as the meaty centerpiece around which to combine together two separate but equally scrumptious recipes - one half recipe for arepas and another recipe for hogao. And when eaten all at once, the three elements in this vegan jackfruit recipe create an incredible confluence of Colombian-inspired deliciousness that you simply have to try!
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Then, drain and thoroughly rinse a can of young jackfruit. Shred the jackfruit with a fork or just with your hands until you have meaty strands of it. Break apart any hard bits or seeds as well. Then, transfer the jackfruit to a medium bowl, and add the olive oil and all the spices to it. Mix well to coat all the jackfruit strands in spices.
On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spread the spiced jackfruit out evenly, and bake for 20 - 22 minutes, stirring halfway through. By the end, the jackfruit should be a bit crispy. Cover with tinfoil to keep warm.
For the Arepas
Meanwhile, whisk together the precooked white cornmeal and sea salt in a mixing bowl, and then add the warm water and nutritional yeast after that. Using your hands or a spatula, combine these ingredients together for 3 - 4 minutes, until it becomes a cohesive sticky dough. Then, continue to knead this dough well for another 3 - 4 minutes, until it mostly sticks together in a lump. Now, form the sticky dough into a ball, and then take a piece of wax or parchment paper and wrap it to keep it from drying out. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 5 - 10 minutes.
Preheat a cast-iron pan over medium heat with a little bit of olive oil or cooking spray (you can use a grill too, if you have one). Once the arepa dough is done resting, wet your hands with lukewarm water, and then form some dough balls (about golfball-sized). Once formed, flatten them with the palm of your hand until about ½-inch thick. Fry about 3 arepas at a time in the cast-iron (or more at a time on a grill) for about 12 - 15 minutes, turning every couple minutes to ensure each side becomes nice and crispy and brown. You know when they're done because you can tap on the arepa and it should sound hollow. This should make about 6 - 8 arepas total.Set the arepas aside on a plate covered in tinfoil to keep warm.
For the Hogao
Firstly, in a non-stick pan toast 2 teaspoons cumin seeds over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until browning and aromatic. Transfer the seeds to a mortar and pestle, and crush until it becomes a fine powder.
In a cast-iron pan over medium to medium-high heat with 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil, add the finely diced tomato, green onion, garlic, freshly ground cumin, sea salt and ground black pepper. Let this reduce down for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 10 minutes has passed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let thicken and reduce further for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and serve right away.
For Assembly
Carefully cut each arepa in half, and then load with a heaping tablespoon of the jackfruit filling, some avocado slices and fresh green onion, and then a hearty dollop of the warm hogoa. Sandwich that together with the other half of the arepa, and enjoy! (F.Y.I. It's messy - so make sure to have napkins!)