Chinese "Seaweed"

General Cooking tips

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Primrose
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I have lots of curly kale plant to use up - I need the growing space !
Somebody has told me that you can produce the sort of "Chinese seaweed" they serve in Chinese restaurants if you chop the dry leaves up small, spread on a tray, spray them with oil and cook them until they're crispy in a hot oven.

Has anybody ever tried this and does it work? I imagine the product served in restaurants comes from greens of some kind treated in a roughly similar way, and certainly not from the sea !

I suspect the greens have to be cooked very quickly. I suspect frying them in a hot frying pan would merely "stir fry" them. Any hints please?
Westi
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Evening Primrose,

I have done it with Spring Greens. I fry it in a pan with a bit of hot oil, but I'm sure it will work with kale in the oven if you give it a stir from time to time, actually probably better with kale as less moisture in the leaves. It was pretty similar to the real thing, but I wish I knew what that powder is the restaurants put on top of their crispy 'seaweed' as that really does offer another flavour level.

I have loads of bags of kale in the freezer for throwing into soups & stews. I just wash, dry & chop it, but don't blanch as find it goes a bit black rather than green in the end product with that extra process. I just use small sandwich bags as that is about enough for a serve for two. Made a pan of chorizo & tomato soup for work lunches today & put a bag of it in that with some Orzo pasta.
Westi
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Primrose
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We chopped it finely, put on a baking tray, sprinkled with oil and a pinch of salt and pepper in a hot oven. It worked well but cooked it just for a minute too long so it tasted a little burnt. But otherwise it was perfect so its obviously an exact science and we will check it earlier next time . I think the spice the restaurants use is Chinese Five spice which is a mixture of spices. You can buy jars of it ready mixed.
Last edited by Primrose on Sat Jan 11, 2020 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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RossBolden06
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Pa Snip wrote:http://goodfood.uktv.co.uk/recipe/curly-kale-crispy-seaweed/

Thank for suggest. I will try it.
My name is Ross B. Bolden and I have been a chef for eighteen years.
So i sign in your forum.
I want to learn more tips & tricks of recipe.
and i can share my expenciences
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Westi it’s ant powder you never find ants on chinese seaweed
Westi
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Welcome Chef!

I've learnt to love it without the Chinese secret powder & enjoy throwing other herbs & spices on it & now my favourite crispy thing to sprinkle on soups & salads. Was particularly pleased with my flavoured salts I got for Xmas - just perfect! Like the fact you are a chef, we are always interested in making the best of our crops & would appreciate professional advice! Surely there is something really cool you can do with turnips rather than just throw in a stew. Everything I find is just roast or make chips!

It's reliable to grow like most of the ugly things, but celeriac has it's glory moment thanks to the French but the poor turnip is forgotten!
Westi
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