Garlic and Chilli Kale

Kale is a super veg isn’t it?! It’s packed with loads of nutrients, and eating it makes us feel healthy and almost virtuous! But sometimes kale can be a little tough, and for some the flavour is a bit too much on the earthy side.

Well, we have the recipe for you! Garlic and chilli kale is a flavourful way to enjoy this healthy vegetable. We created this side dish to go with classic roast chicken, pan-fried salmon, or our favourite lentil loaf. This is an easy kale recipe we think you will enjoy.

What is in Garlic and Chilli Kale?

This is a simple recipe with just 4 ingredients – curly kale, oil, garlic, and chilli. That’s it. You can seasoning of salt but that’s always optional. We simply fry the garlic and chilli separately in the oil to get them crispy. Remove and use the leftover oil to sauté the kale. At the end we season with as much crispy garlic and chilli as we can handle along with a sprinkle of salt.

What does garlic and chilli kale taste like?

The crispy garlic brings a lovely sweetness to the dish. Of course, the garlic is also fragrant. The crispy chilli adds heat and spiciness to the kale. Together this is a strong piquant flavour to this recipe.

How to cook curly kale?

There are several ways to cook curly kale. You can boil it, roast it, and in this recipe we pan fry it. If you want a kale salad you can massage the leaves with olive oil to break down some of the fibre and have a fresh leafy salad.

What to serve with kale?

Serve your kale much like you would any vegetable side dish. You can replace most greens with kale for something a bit different. This is great as part of a simple roast dinner or with fish. Or make up a big batch to take to potluck dinners (with people we know will love all that garlic!) and barbecues.

We also think this would taste fantastic with our roast leg of lamb.

Can you make any changes to this pan-fried kale recipe?

Of course you can use the technique with the spices of garlic and chilli and have a simple pan-fried kale dish. Likewise, you can omit either the garlic or chilli if you prefer and it will still taste great.

If you want some alternatives to this kale recipe you could add a squeeze of lemon from some freshness and zest. Likewise, we know some of you would love this with a fresh sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

Garlic and Chilli Kale (SERVES 4)

INGREDIENTS

• 3 Tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 4 Garlic cloves, finely sliced
• 2 Small-Medium Red Chilli, finely sliced
• 4 Handfuls of Curly Kale (approx 100-150g), stalks removed

METHOD

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat, add the sliced garlic and as soon as it starts to turn golden remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
2. Now add the sliced red chilli to the same oil and remove with a slotted spoon as soon as it starts to colour.
3. Reduce the heat to medium and slowly add the kale. Be careful as it can spit!
4. Stir fry the kale for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until it’s a deep green colour with some golden crispiness to some of the leaves.
5. Add as much crispy garlic and chilli as you like, give it a good stir, a pinch of salt, and serve.

 

You might also like:

• Roasted Broccoli
• Sauteéd Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Pancetta 
• Glazed Carrots in Orange and Thyme
• Peas with Mint and Spring Onion