Reasons why kale chips are the best things ever:
1. They taste like that amazing crispy ‘seaweed’ stuff that you get in Chinese restaurants.
2. They taste like that amazing crispy ‘seaweed’ stuff that you get in Chinese restaurants.
3. They taste like that amazing crispy ‘seaweed’ stuff that you get in Chinese restaurants.
They’re also healthy, easy to make, cheap etc. etc. but all you *really* need to know is that they taste like that incredible Chinese faux-seaweed stuff. That seaweed’s always been my favourite thing about having a Chinese takeaway. When I was little and we would have a takeaway for a treat, I would always beg my Mum to order two pots of seaweed so that I could gorge myself on the stuff. On the occasions she said yes, I knew I must’ve been killing it with good behaviour. Score.
So being able to make almost-seaweed at home is a pretty big deal, you see. I totally chipped-up and ate a whole bag of kale in no more than 48 hours. But it’s HEALTHY, so who cares! I always feel a bit smug when my food cravings end up being for healthy foods. Like last summer, when I became totally obsessed with snacking on pickled cucumbers. So satisfying, so few calories. WIN WIN!
To make, just take a bunch of fresh kale and place it all into a large bowl. Add in a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of flaky sea salt, and toss to coat the kale. Spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment, and sprinkle with any extra seasoning you fancy. I used a smokey Turkish spice mix on half of this batch, made up of dried chillies, tomatoes, rosemary, paprika, and a whole host of other spices. Garlic salt, smoked paprika, or dried chilli flakes might be a nice addition.
Bake in the oven for 5 minutes at 170 degrees celsius. Keep a close eye on them, as they catch at the edges in the blink of an eye. When cooked, they should be dry and sound kind of…papery. Since I’m a salt fiend I always sprinkle a little extra salt on whilst they’re still hot from the oven, but it’s probably not all that advisable. Next time I make a batch I’m going to add a tiny pinch of brown sugar, and delight in the salty-sweet thing. Delicious.
