I had no idea kalettes existed till a few days ago when my generous and kind neighbour, Anisha, introduced me to this vegetable and gave me a bag of these beauties. I was fascinated by them, as I am with everything new in the kitchen.
Kalettes were bred by Tozer seeds in the UK by crossing Brussels sprouts and kale and introduced this vegetable to the UK market in 2010 and in the Us in 2014. They are still not visible in the US but are super popular in the health-conscious society of Bangalore. They look like little Brussels sprouts but with tiny colourful kale leaves, they are almost too cute to eat!
These are grown in the gardens of the Culinarium in Ooty
I had to come up with a simple recipe, one that would highlight the beautiful flavour of the vegetable and accent it with mild spices. I fell back to my new favourite, Svanetian salt, a delicate salt blend from Georgia. The slight bitterness was dulled by the salt that added flowery notes from the blue fenugreek and marigold. This is a super healthy side and one that is a new favourite. Here's to healthy eating in 2023.
For more recipes by Zafar, click here.
1 lb kalettes
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 scallions, finely chopped
Lime juice
A few pinches of Svanetian salt
If the kalettes are large half them, otherwise leave them whole.
Heat the oil and add the scallions and kalettes. Sautè on medium heat for 2 minutes, till the kalettes are just beginning to cook. You want them to be slightly cooked but still retain most of their crunch.
Remove from the pan and toss with olive oil and Svanetian salt. Serve immediately.
Variations:
You can substitute any tart spice blend for the Svenatian salt. Blends like chaat masala or Bukhni masala will work well. In addition, you may add a clove of finely chopped garlic if desired. However, kalettes are delicate, so do not overcook them, they tend to get very bitter, and chillies and other strong spices will drown out their beautiful flavours.