Moroccan Jackfruit 'Lamb' with Lemon Couscous — a plant-based Mediterranean recipe by BOSH!
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Moroccan Jackfruit 'Lamb' with Lemon Couscous

This one genuinely blew us away the first time we made it. Jackfruit does something magical when you cook it low and slow with warm Moroccan spices; it pulls apart just like slow-cooked lamb and soaks up every bit of flavour you throw at it. You've got that deep, fragrant sauce with ras el hanout, sweet onions, and chickpeas, all piled onto fluffy lemon couscous that brightens the whole thing up. It's the kind of dinner that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible and has everyone asking what you've been cooking. If you've been on the fence about jackfruit, this is the one that'll win you over.

Cook: 45 min
Serves 6

Before You Start

  • 3x 400g cans young green jackfruit - drained, rinsed & patted dry
  • 1x 400g can chickpeas - drained, rinsed & patted dry
  • Microplane or fine grater for ginger & garlic

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Ras El Hanout - Moroccan spice blend
  • 1 ½ tbsp tomato purée
  • 2 tsp mint sauce
  • 3 x 400g can of young green jackfruit - in water or brine
  • 2 red onions
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 5cm piece of fresh ginger
  • 10g fresh coriander
  • 2 cans x 400g can(s) of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 can chickpeas
  • ½ tsp maple syrup
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 preserved lemon
  • ½ tsp chilli powder
  • 300g couscous
  • 400ml boiling water
  • Salt & pepper to taste
  • 10g parsley leaves
  • 80g pistachios
  • 50g pomegranate seeds
  • hummus - optional

Method

1

First, prep the ingredients

  • Drain, rinse and pat dry the jackfruit
  • Cut the jackfruit pieces into 1 inch chunks
  • Peel and dice the red onions
  • Peel and grate the garlic and ginger
  • Pick the coriander leaves and finely dice the stalks
  • Cut the lemon in half
  • Drain, rinse and pat dry the chickpeas
2

Now, cook and spice the jackfruit

  • Warm the olive oil in a pan over a medium heat, add the onions and a pinch of salt to the pan and stir for 3-4 minutes
  • Add the garlic, ginger and coriander stalks to to the pan and stir for 1 minute
  • Add the jackfruit to the pan and stir for 3-4 minutes
  • Add the ras el hanout to the pan and stir for 2 minutes until the jackfruit is well covered and taking on the colour of the spice blend
3

Time to get saucy

  • Add the tomato puree to the pan and stir for 30 seconds
  • Add the mint sauce to the pan and stir for 30 seconds
  • Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan, stir to combine, turn up the heat and leave to simmer and thicken for 10 minutes
  • Add the chickpeas and maple syrup to the pan
  • Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan, catching any pips in your free hand
  • Turn the heat down and leave the dish to simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure it doesn't catch on the bottom of the pan.
4

While the Moroccan Jackfruit Lamb is simmering, make the Lemon Couscous

  • Halve the preserved lemon and put it into a mixing bowl
  • Add the olive oil, cumin, couscous and boiling water
  • Cover with a dinner plate and set aside for 8-10 minutes
  • Take the plate off the bowl and fluff the couscous with a fork
5

Time to serve

  • Toast the pistachios in a dry pan over a high heat for 2 minutes
  • Spoon the couscous and Morocan Jackfruit Lamb into serving bowls
  • Garnish with coriander leaves, parsley leaves, pistachios, pomegranate seeds and serve immediately

Tips & Variations

  • Get the jackfruit dry: Seriously, take an extra minute to pat it dry with kitchen paper before cooking. It makes a real difference to the texture and helps it pick up those gorgeous golden edges in the pan.
  • Bulk it out: We love adding a big handful of spinach or some roasted aubergine into the sauce towards the end. It goes really well with the Moroccan spices and makes it feel even more hearty.
  • Lemon couscous matters: Don't skip the lemon zest in the couscous. It lifts the whole dish and stops it feeling heavy. Henry always adds a little extra squeeze right at the end too, just to brighten everything up.

Why This Works

The trick is patting the jackfruit really dry before it hits the pan. If there's too much moisture it steams instead of getting that lovely caramelised edge, and that edge is where all the flavour lives. We also find that letting the spices toast in the oil with the onions for a good minute or two before anything else goes in makes a massive difference; it wakes them right up. Trust us on this one, don't rush that step.