A successful tempura experiment. I have, at present, several very healthy and prolific plants of kale growing. My son grows it in abundance somewhat south of here, so I don't usually grow very much. But this year, this spring, I decided to put in some kale in amongst some zucchini plants. As it happens, they have grown very well and keep on putting out. The challenge then becomes what to do with all the fresh kale.
These days, of course, it is a much celebrated leafy vegetable that finds its way into almost everything in the belief that it is some sort of super vegetable. Chefs and home cooks everywhere seem to think it is now necessary to put kale into every dish they make. This is not a bad thing, but I think we should drawn the line at the kale smoothie - the latest in many silly health fads.
The great thing about kale - and the reason for its great health benefits - is that it is relatively close to wild cabbage - i.e. it still contains much of that 'Origin' principle of which Alan Chadwick spoke. It is close to the wild plant and has not been over-bred. In terms of cultivation it seems to respond very well to deep, double-dug beds, liberal quantities of compost and a generous sprinkling of blood and bone. Here it is growing in my summer garden:
Anyway, I experimented with kale tempura. It worked very well. Dip the whole leaf into batter and deep fry. This was a one part white flour/two parts wholemeal flour batter with a dash of sea salt. The batter moves into the many fine crinkles of the leaf and the over-all effect - as numerous people commented when I served them - was like fillet of fish.
I have tried tempura-ing green leafy vegetables before, with varying success. Kale works especially well. A recommended way to add kale to the menu. Serve with a little soy sauce.
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