Sesame Kale Chips with Kale Stem Pakodas + the 100th post!

As you know I am in India. And as I had mentioned in my last post briefly, I am here on emotional matters (my mom) and for work. I say work but it was more pleasure. A dear friend was getting married and she asked me if I’d like to take pictures of her special day. I, of course said yes, not only because she is a friend but because I am always so pleased when someone appreciates my style of photography, which is as real as it can get.

Now she was getting married to a famous Indian cricket player. Now I may not watch cricket actively but cricket runs in all our Indian veins. Even if you don’t really watch it, it is always playing somewhere in the background, or is in an advertisement or billboards. It really is everywhere around you. Everything you eat or drink is endorsed by some cricket player or the other. My fondest memories are of mom, sitting us down on her lap while she eagerly heard the commentary on the radio. There was no pulling her away from that radio set.

Everything in India revolves around food. We all know that. But when something as special as cricket is on television, then of course all the Indian snacks come out. The pakodas, the samosas. It is not unlike the Super Bowl in the US I guess. Cricket is a religion here, in India. As soccer is I suppose in Brazil or Argentina. It gives people hope and most importantly brings people together.

Well, food I think does the same.

I had a great time shooting the wedding. And I fell in love with the great darling that is Suresh Raina to the nation. When cricketers are treated as Gods, it is truly amazing to see someone, who as one of the best players on the national team, is as humble and kind as he is. He is the only cricketer to have hit a century (100 runs) in all formats of cricket. So it is only fitting that he should grace my 100th post!

So here I am, bringing the pakodas out. These are made from the stems of the kale leaves that we usually throw away. Don’t! Make pakodas!

And then make yourself some chai and sit back, put up your feet and enjoy a good game of Indian cricket! 🙂

for the chips
250 grams kale leaves
1 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp chilli flakes
rock salt as desired
a good splash of olive oil

to prepare
Preheat oven to 180°C/355°F.

Wash the leaves and pat dry with a kitchen towel. With a sharp knife cut the hard stems off and set aside. Do not throw these!

On a baking tray line with parchment, lay out out your leaves. You can either tear them into pieces of the size you want or you can leave them whole and crack them later.

Splash on the olive oil and massage into the leaves. Sprinkle the sesame seeds, the chili flakes and the salt.

Bake for 15 minutes and take out to cool.

for the kale stem pakodas
1/2 cup gram flour
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
a pinch of baking soda
salt as per taste
water for making batter
the leftover stems from your kale leaves
oil for deep frying

to prepare
Heat enough oil in a wok for deep frying the stems.

Mix the gram flour and the water to make a batter of pancake consistency (as you can see in the picture).

Mix in all the spices and whip with hands till there are no lumps. Dip the stems into the batter and make sure you cover the stems evenly. You could also could also cut the stems in rectangular pieces if you find that easier.

Drop a bit of batter into the hot oil. If it sizzles and rises your oil is ready.

Deep fry for a few minutes till golden brown.

Eat hot!