Jackfruit Carnitas

1. Rinse jackfruit, dry, and set aside.

2. Whisk together soda, vinegar, 1/8 cup vegetable oil, and lime juice in a large mixing bowl. Add onion, chili powder, panela, pepper, salt, and bay leaves. Add jackfruit pieces and mix to coat. Allow to marinate for at least 1 hour.

3. Pour jackfruit and marinade into a nonstick skillet. Bring to a boil and simmer until the liquid has reduced by 3/4, about 20 minutes. Pour into a colander and drain; remove and discard bay leaves.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add drained jackfruit and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to tear jackfruit into small pieces. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until each piece is as crispy as possible, 10 to 15 minutes. Add remaining vegetable oil, if necessary.

5. Meanwhile, heat the corn tortillas on a griddle. Ladle equal portions of jackfruit carnitas into each tortilla. Top with pickled jalapenos and carrots. Sprinkle with cilantro and garnish each taco with a lime wedge. Serve hot.

Cook's Note:

If you can't find bitter orange soda, use regular orange soda or fresh orange juice, but reduce the panela by half and add a few dashes of bitters.