Kale and Soba salad with Sesame Dressing

I hope been hopeless at keeping my blog up to date.  I seem to only be able to do one thing at a time.  Anyway we have been feasting on home grown artichokes recently which has been a huge treat. H has been complaining that we eat too many cards, so this was my compromise.
I made this a week ago -loosely based on a recipe from Vegetable Literacy.  It is heaven!

1 bunch tuscan kale (cavolo nero)
5 tsp light sesame oil
Sea salt
4 brussle sprouts-I used some finely sliced cauliflower florets, and some french breakfast radishes instead!
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp brown rice wine vinegar
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted in a dry frying pan until golden
clives to finish
A bundle of soba noodles-cooked, drained and cooled-cook according to instructions as brands do vary

Slice the kale leaves off their ropy steams and discard the stems.  Working in batches, stack the leaves, roll them up tightly lengthways, and the thinly slice cross ways into narrow ribbons.  Put the ribbons in a slad bowl with 1 tsp of the sesame oil and a pinch of salt.  Squeeze the leave repeatedly with your hands until they glisten.
Slice the cauliflower thinly, and the radishes paper thin, then toss them all with the kale.
Pound the garlic with a pinch of salt in a small mortar until smooth.  Stir in the vinegar then whisk in the remaining sesame oil and the soy sauce.
Toss the salad with cooked, cooled soba, pour the dressing over and toss well.
Just before serving, toss with the sesame seeds and chives.

Cauliflower Pakoras

These have become a staple in the house recently, they are heavenly with a gado gado style peanut sauce, however they can also be eaten with a raita, or alone, just as they are!
1 medium-large cauliflower-trimmed
sunflower oil for frying

150 g gram flour (chickpea flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp ground cummin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
a pinch of chili powder
a pinch of fine sea salt

Cut the cauliflower into small florets.

For the batter, add all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and whisk to combine and remove large lumps.  Slowly whisk in 175ml cold water, which should give you a smooth batter with a similar consistency to double cream.
Add the cauliflwer florets to the batter turning them to ensure they are coated.

Heat about 1 cm depth of oil in a heavy based pan over a medium high heat.  When the oil is hot enough, start cooking the pakoras, a few at a time so you dont over crowd them.  Place spoonfuls of battered cauliflwer into the hot oil.   cook for about 2 mins, until crisp and golden brown on the base, then turn them and cook for another min or 2.
Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with your choice of dipping sauce! 

Encrusted Baked Cauliflower

Here’s an elegant and unusual way to prepare cauliflower-I realy like cauliflower, I didn't used to but slowly I am finding more creative ways of cooking it. Cauliflower is rich in the phytochemical, sulforaphane, this cruciferous vegetable has tumor fighting capabilities. It’s also high in dietary fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Folate, Pantothenic acid, Potassium and Manganese.

Lemon-Tahini Encrusted Baked Cauliflower
1 medium or large head of cauliflower
2 tablespoons of tahini (I prefer raw, but roasted is fine too)
1/3 cup of whole wheat pastry flour-or yellow gram flour (chana dhal flour)
2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of ½ a lemon, about ½ tablespoon
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne (more or less to taste)
1 t of salt (or less depending on taste)
¼ cup of water
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Keeping the cauliflower whole, remove the leaves and stem and wash under cold water. Steam whole for about 20 minutes. While steaming the cauliflower, prepare a lemon-tahini paste with the remainder of the ingredients (you may have to add additional water or flour until you get a good consistency that will stick to the cauliflower-a little bit like wall paper paste!). Carefully remove the cauliflower from the steamer and place it on a slightly oiled baking tray. Pour the lemon-tahini mixture over the cauliflower and with a knife, cover the top and sides as if you were icing a cake. Bake for 30 minutes, until the crust is firm. Cut into slices with a sharp knife.