With so many people turning vegan, meat substitutes can be found all over now - from soy-based tofu to seitan to lab-made fake meat. However, it is the humble kathal (jackfruit) that is ruling the market right now with its fibrous flesh and its ability to take on almost any flavour. You get jackfruit avtars in so many places - from burgers at hipster joints to frozen patties in supermarkets.
In Kolkata, vegan cloud kitchen Mizuki has introduced Asian dishes based on jackruit. They have collaborated with plant-based food brand EatwithBetter that makes meat alternatives using jackfruit, and come up with an Asian-inspired menu using their product. All through June, you can order the following items:
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Jackfruit Wontons: Homemade crispy wontons stuffed with pulled jackfruit, carrots, water chestnuts and coriander stems and a sweet chilli sauce
Laksa Curry Bowl: Laksa curry, handcut noodles, jackfruit wontons, steamed vegetables and garlic chips
Kimchi Stew Bowl: Sour and tangy kimchi stew, handcut noodles, jackfruit wontons, sauteed mushrooms and garlic chips
The wontons are the star of these dishes. The texture of the 'meat' is chewy - with fronds coming off it. And it is almost meaty with a certain stringiness and chewiness. The best part is that it is hugely processed like other fake meat options. The golden wontons are taut and crisp with sauces and curries layered with flavours.
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Started in October 2020, Mizuki has been doing Asian-inspired food with a dose of fusion for a while now. Some of their bestsellers are Mushroom, Garlic & Spinach Dumplings, Black Pepper Broccoli & Celery Buns, Barbeque Mushroom Sliders, Jade Noodles with Carrots & Cherry Tomatoes and the Wild Mushroom & Truffle Fried Rice.
"We took the idea of creating a vegan food brand doing Asian cuisine more as a challenge to experiment and explore with food and discover what could be done," says co-owner Shivam Choraria, who had just got out of school when the pandemic hit and there was a nation wide lockdown. At 17, he had plans of moving to Mumbai for further education but the lockdown changed it all. That's when the idea of Mizuki came up. "Every dish on our menu right from the entrees to the desserts is a 100% vegan."
Look out for more innovations from their cloud kitchen. They are always experimenting in the lab. Recently they did a collaboration with Mumbai-based Naagin Hot Sauce with their take on the Indonesian Nasi Goreng with Naagin sauces.
They also make their own packaged sauces which are easy to use in home kitchens. In the pipeline is a range of Asian-inspired cocktail premixes.
How to order: Customers can place orders through our direct website or even through Swiggy and Zomato.
