Manchester Urban Diggers’ kale bhajis

Kale is a biennial plant that grows in abundance at Platt Fields Market Garden, a community garden in Manchester, feeding our visitors all year round. Not only is it a plentiful vegetable that’s easy to grow, it’s also high in Vitamin C, which is great for our immune systems particularly in the colder months.

30 minutes
Makes ten bhajis

Ingredients

  • 80g of chickpea flour
  • 200g kale leaves, shredded
  • 2 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp garam masala
  • ½ tsp coriander seeds
  • ½ tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 chili, chopped (optional)
  • Water for the batter
  • 1 litre oil for deep fry

Method

  • Heat up the oil in a saucepan until it is 180 degrees.
  • Place your chickpea flour in a bowl and slowly whisk in water until you have the consistency of pancake batter.
  • Mix in all your spices, salt and baking powder.
  • Now add the shredded kale and give a final mix.
  • Test the heat of the oil by dropping a small piece of the mixture in beforehand. If it bubbles straight away, then it’s ready to go. When the oil has reached temperature, add in a scoop of the bhaji mixture.
  • Cook the bhajis until golden brown and place on a sheet of kitchen roll to drain excess oil.
  • Serve the bhajis hot with mango chutney or tamarind sauce or put them in a bun to make a delicious veggie burger.
This recipe is suitable for vegans and gluten-free

RHS Big Food Share partners

Manchester Urban Diggers are a not-for-profit social enterprise dedicated to finding solutions to problems with our local food systems. This includes advocating for food sovereignty, providing volunteering opportunities and services and growing fruit, vegetables and herbs to make available to the local community. MUD always use organic growing methods and aim to improve local biodiversity and soil health wherever they grow. At Platt Fields Market Garden, they run wellbeing workshops, a LGBTQ+ gardening club, forest school for children as well as community meet ups for migrants and refugees.

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The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place.