These barbecue-style kale chips rely on a smoky, well seasoned tahini sauce that coats every leaf with an intense flavour reminiscent of summer grilling. The liquid smoke and the barbecue spices make it easy to tailor the result. Without a dehydrator, an oven at its lowest setting does the job very well. A crisp snack that even wins over people who are not keen on greens.
Barbecue-style kale chips with tahini
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Ingredients
- 2 large bunches of kale
- 120 g tahini
- 60 ml tamari
- 60 ml cider vinegar
- 15 g nutritional yeast
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons barbecue spices, your favourite blend
- a few drops of liquid smoke, to taste
- water, to adjust the texture
Method
- Rinse the kale, remove the ribs and tear the leaves roughly into a large bowl.
- Blend all the other ingredients in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth sauce.
- Pour the sauce over the kale and massage it in by hand so every leaf is coated.
- Spread the kale in a thin layer on oiled or lined trays if you are using an oven, or on mesh sheets for a dehydrator.
- Dry for 6 to 8 hours in the oven at its lowest setting, or dehydrate for about 12 hours at 48 °C.
Tip
Keep a little sauce aside to enjoy as a dip with raw vegetables: it keeps very well in the fridge. Adjust its texture with water, one spoonful at a time: too thick and it forms clumps on the leaves; too thin and it slides off, leaving the chips bland.
FAQ: your questions about barbecue-style kale chips
How do you make kale chips?
Remove the ribs, tear the leaves into even pieces, coat them in a sauce or simply in oil and salt, then dry them in a thin layer. The tricky point is always the same: pieces that overlap stay limp. Two well spaced trays beat one crowded tray every time.
What can you mix tahini with?
Tahini goes with anything that brings acidity or salt: lemon, vinegar, tamari, garlic. Thin it with water, never with oil, and expect it to seize the moment it meets the liquid before loosening again - keep whisking, that is normal. On the sweet side it works wonders with honey and dates.
Can you give me some recipes with nutritional yeast?
It provides the cheesy note of this sauce, and plays the same role in a pesto without parmesan, in a sauce based on soaked cashews, or simply sprinkled over vegetables with a drizzle of olive oil. Two tablespoons are usually enough: beyond that it dominates and leaves a yeasty bitterness.
What are the best recipes with tahini?
Hummus remains the classic, but tahini is above all precious in raw sauces: mixed with lemon and water it replaces a cream; with tamari and vinegar it becomes a barbecue sauce as here. On the sweet side, a spoonful of tahini and one of honey give you a spread in ten seconds.
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