Use Kale Stems – see how you can quickly make a tasty pickle with them, ready to serve in less than 30 min. Tart and spicy, this pickle can accompany any meal, from any cuisine – sandwiches, tacos, quesadillas, crusty bread, Parathas, Pita…
Lots of folks trim the thick stems and ribs from Kale, and then simply throw them away, because they don’t like the taste and/or texture. Sure, they’re a bit tough and not especially tasty to munch and crunch on. So what? Lots of things don’t taste great when raw – so what do we do about that? We cook them, puree them, fry them, roast them, pickle them… you get the picture!
Incidentally, this recipe is not limited to Kale stems; you can use several other vegetables instead. I often follow the same recipe for pickling tender Kohlrabi stems (Navalkol; Nolkol), collard stems, cauliflower/broccoli stalks, turnips, carrots, rutabagas, etc.
Kale Stems are packed with nutrients too!
When we throw away Kale stems, we throw away edible and nutritious food. The stems and thick leaf ribs are rich in fiber as well as a variety of vitamins and minerals – Vitamins A, C and K, iron, calcium, copper, manganese, magnesium, etc. The brilliant purple stems of purple kale are especially rich in anthocyanins, containing up to 8 times more anthocyanins than the green varieties. Anthocyanins are believed to act as antioxidants, contributing to our overall health and well-being via complex mechanisms. When pickled, the cut-up stems release all these vital micronutrients into the “pickle juice”. The oil in the pickle improves the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins (A, K)
Pickled Kale Stems – Even Better- Probiotic, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant…
Upon pickling, natural fermentation begins: in just a couple of days, you will have a tasty probiotic that keeps your gut microbiome happy. The added spices, too, provide valuable benefits. Turmeric, with its bright golden curcumin, along with red chilli peppers and paprika, which contain the fiery-hot capsaicin and various red carotenoids such capsanthin and capsorubin, support the immune system and general well-being. Fennel contains anethole, which has potent antimicrobial activity (against bacteria, yeast and fungi), acts as a carminative, and also soothes the digestive system.
Note: To preserve its probotic benefits, do not “cook” the pickle – eat it as a condiment, on the side. Cooking will kill all the ‘good’ bacteria in the pickle and it will no longer be probiotic. So, it’s fine to add the pickle on top of an already grilled sandwich or quesadilla, but don’t add the pickle before grilling.
Fun fact: The bright purple Kale stems change color when pickled – they turn into a gorgeous red-colored pickle! How come? The colors of anthocyanins depend on the acidity of its surroundings. While they are purple in the kale leaf and stem, when placed in an acidic broth, they turn red! It’s quite fascinating to watch as the color changes in a matter of minutes: behold the magic and mysteries of nature!
Easy-to-make pickle
So, let’s see how we can turn those tough and not-very-tasty Kale stems into a delightful, tongue-tickling pickle. After you’ve trimmed away the green leafy parts, slice the stems, leaf-stalks and thick ribs. Add the seasonings, stir and microwave for a minute or so. If you’re using purple kale stems, be sure to watch for the change in color as the anthocynanins in the Kale stems react with citric acid and turn red. When cool, taste-test and adjust salt, etc. as desired, then add a little oil. That’s it !
Set it aside for 10-15 min to let the flavors blend, and the pickle is ready to serve. Of course, it will taste better the next day, after the flavors blend a bit more. But I often don’t have the patience to wait even that long. Sometimes, half the pickle disappears before the next day even arrives. After all, one medium bunch of kale, with about 8-10 leaves, yields only 1/2 cup or so of sliced stems. As a condiment, though, this pickle is intended to be consumed in small quantities , so even the 1/2 cup actually goes a long way.
If you like pickles, you might also want to try some of my other super-easy pickle recipes: cranberry pickle, lemon pickle, radish greens pickle. Also, watch for more pickle recipes coming up soon.
Special Diets
This pickle recipe is vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, no added sugar and has no onions or garlic. I have used peanut oil, but you could swap it out with a nut-free oil of your choice, to make it nut-free. However, as with most pickles, it is a bit heavy in salt, so “eat in moderation”. This priceless advice was drummed into my head by my Dad, who chanted… “This is a pickle – not a vegetable!” … every time he saw someone about to go overboard!
So, the next time you buy a bunch of Kale (or even Kohlrabi, Collard, etc.), don’t throw the nutrient-rich stems away. Instead, pickle them….and add an extra boost of flavor to your food. And, of course, knowing that this pickle provides you with various health benefits as well, is an added bonus! Make it, share it with friends, leave a review and rating!
Enjoy!
Use Kale Stems – How to Make Tasty Pickle
Equipment
- Microwave oven preferred; if not available, can use the stove-top. See Recipe Notes for details.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Sliced Kale stems about 1/4 inch or less; if Kale is not available, you can use stems and leaf-ribs from Kohlarabi, Swiss Chard (silverbeet), collard; chopped cauliflower/broccoli stalks, etc.
- 3 tbsp Water
- 1/8 tsp Citric acid
- 1/4 tsp Salt adjust as per taste preference – when taste-testing later, add up to 1/8 tsp more
Pickle Seasonings
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Mirchi Powder for its vibrant color; if not available, use 1/2 tsp red chilli powder (Cayenne) (Cayenne is hotter than Kashmiri Chilli peppers
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Fennel powder
- 1/8 tsp Mustard Powder if not available, crush whole mustard seed in a mortar and pestle; yellow or black mustard are both OK
- 1/8 tsp Kalonji (Nigella seeds) if not available, OK to omit
- 2 tsp Oil I prefer peanut oil; mustard oil is excellent if you like its strong pungent flavor and aroma; other mild-flavored edible oil is OK too; I do not recommend olive oil – its flavor clashes with the seasonings used here
- 1 tsp Paprika if not available, add another mild-flavored pepper with a rich red color: Byadgi Mirchi, Kashmiri Mirchi, Guajillo Chile, Cascabel Chile, New Mexico Chile, Dried Red Sishito pepper, etc.
Instructions
- Separate the leaves from the bunch. Thoroughly wash each leaf under running water, especially in the frilly parts of curly Kale. The flatter leaves of Lacinato kale are easier to clean.
- Trim the Kale, carefully cutting the stems and thick leaf ribs away from the leaves. Rinse and slice the stems.
- Add boiling water to citric acid and salt in a glass/ceramic microwave safe bowl -do NOT use plastic bowl – even if it says microwave-safe. Stir to mix, add sliced kale stems stir and microwave on Hi for 1 min.
- Stir and microwave on low-medium power (40%) for 2 min. Looks nearly dry- most of the liquid dries out during the cooking.
- While still hot, add all the seasonings, except oil, and stir.
- It looks pretty dry at this stage, since the dry seasonings soal up all the liquid. If you like it this way, skip the next step; set the pickle aside for about 15 min. to cool to room temp. Then proceed with adding the heated and cooled oil.
- I like to have a little "pickle juice" – called "Khaar" in Marathi – in my pickle.If you would like to make some Khaar: boil 1/2 a cup of water, transfer 2-3 tbsp hot water into a bowl – set aside to cool. When lukewarm, add it to the warm pickle and stir. Set aside for 5-10 min. to cool
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small wok/pan for 2-3 min, then set aside to let it cool for 5-10 min. Add the cooled oil to the cooled pickle, Stir again and set aside for 15 min to blend flavors. Transfer to a clean dry jar with a well-fitting lid press down the solids with a sturdy spoon to allow trapped air bubbles to escape. Store in the refrigerator for up to 4-6 weeks, possibly longer.
- Ready to serve with any meal. Tastes great with any type of bread or rice. It is also lovely with Puris,
- Enjoy!
Notes
Variations: Make similar pickle with several other vegetables
Use this recipe to pickle the stems/stalks of the following (and other) vegetables, such as:- Swiss Chard (Silverbeet)
- Collard
- Kohlrabi
- Cauliflower (chopped)
- Broccoli (chopped)
No Microwave? Make it on the stove-top
If you do not have a microwave oven, no worries. You can do it all on the stove-top, as follows:- Place 1 cup water in a small sauce pan and set it to boil.
- Transfer the sliced Kale stems into another small saucepan.
- Place measured citric aid and salt in a glass/ceramic/stainless steel heat-resistant bowl (do not use plastic!).
- After the water boils, decrease heat and let it continue to boil for about a minute. Transfer 3 tbsp boiling hot water to the citric acid-salt mixture: stir quickly to make “pickle-juice”.
- Save the remaining water in the saucepan: set it aside to cool.
- Add the hot “pickle juice” to the sliced kale stems in the second saucepan. Stir to mix; cover and heat on high for 2 min.
- Set aside to cool. If too dry, add 2-3 tbsp of the leftover boiled water.
- Remaining procedure: follow according to directions given in the main recipe.
Storage:
This pickle needs to be stored in the refrigerator: there isn’t enough salt and/or oil to act as preservative and protect it from spoilage at room temperature on your counter or pantry.- I recommend that you consume it in about two weeks (it might last longer)
- Whenever you use some, be sure to press/pack down the remaining pickle tightly. The pieces should be covered with the “pickle juice” when you put it away.
- Remove any air bubbles before replacing the lid aand returning to the refrigerator.
- Once you remove some pickle from the storage jar (for serving), you should NOT return the leftovers back
- place the “once-served” leftover pickle in a separate container and try to use up within a day or two.
- if you see mold-growth, and/or the pickle develops an “off” smell, please discard it.
Nutrition
Perfectly tangy & yummy…
Now I have another delicious way of using these stalks….:-)
Yeah… and from various other vegetables besides Kale, parts we often consider “throw away”! Why throw them if you can turn them into something yummy and “good for you”?
Chaangla idea! Your Chemistry background is evident – Citric Acid- LOL! Can we use lime juice? or lemon juice instead?
Thank you, Rajiv! My Mom was using citric acid long before I even knew what it was – so much for my chemistry knowledge! It is regularly used in canning – to adjust acidity – jams, jellies, fruit squashes, etc.). I actually do not recommend using lime juice while cooking the stems – while the citric acid in the juice will work the same way, the actual benefits of lime juice, especially the Vitamin C, are lost when when you heat it. So I recommend using pure citric acid – you only need a tiny bit, anyway, and it is easily available in most grocery stores (mainstream American stores, as well as Indian stores – it may be labeled as Citric acid or Nimbu Ka Phool). If you do want more Pickle juice, though, then yes, you can certainly add lime juice later (after the mixture has cooled to room temperature), instead of the “boiled and cooled water”. You can add more salt and other spices as needed at this point too. Do keep it in the refrigerator, though and use it up within a few days – mine is usually gone within 2 weeks!
Made this recipe using cucumbers today and it was delicious and super easy to make!
Nice variation! Glad you liked it… Thanks for the review!
I’ve also posted a super-easy “western” style cucumber pickle you might want to try… it’s great with sandwiches, wraps, etc.
Best part, it has only a fraction of the salt/sodium you find in most commercial pickles – we all need to try to consume way less salt than we typically do.
Take a look…
https://theculinaryheart.com/easy-pickled-cucumbers-tart-spicy-with-garlic-and-dill/