should you massage kale before cooking

Should you massage kale before cooking? Nope! Massaging kale and cooking kale have the same effect: breaking down the vegetable’s fibrous texture and tenderizing its leaves. Therefore, you only need to choose one process or the other before consuming this cruciferous vegetable.
should you massage kale before cooking

HOW TO MASSAGE KALE | Preparing Raw Kale For Salads

FAQ

How long to massage kale before cooking?

How to Massage Kale. Our go-to method: Add chopped kale to a large bowl and top with lemon juice and olive oil. Use clean hands to massage for about 3 minutes to soften the leaves and infuse the leaves with the oil and lemon. A pinch of salt added near the end of massaging adds even more flavor.

Does bagged kale need to be massaged?

You can skip massaging if you are using the kale in a salad with an acidic dressing. Just let the salad sit for a half hour or more before eating so the kale has time to soften. However, the kale may taste even better if you still massage it beforehand. If you are using baby kale, you do not need to soften it.

Does massaging kale change the taste?

This quick process helps release the bitterness. Kale can be massaged with salad dressing for 10+ minutes. Massaged kale salads stay well overnight in the refrigerator, and there will likely be no hint of bitterness but all the same nutrients.

Does massaged kale get soggy?

A bonus about using this method is that it will stay in the refrigerator for a good week even after massaging – unlike other more delicate leafy greens which tend to wilt and become soggy after chopping. Kale will keep its soft but chewy texture without becoming mushy.

Should you massage Kale?

Massaging kale is also an easy way to infuse flavor into raw leaves without cooking and make a dish even better. Recipes like Kale Salad with Cranberries (pictured above) and Massaged Kale Salad with Grapes & Cheddar use this technique, and we think taking the extra time to enhance your next kale salad’s texture and flavor is worth the effort.

Which is the best way to eat Kale?

Kale is a high-fiber cruciferous vegetable like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. These vegetables can cause gas and bloating or general digestive discomfort, especially in individuals who are just beginning to eat high-fiber cruciferous vegetables. Cooking kale, rather than eating it raw, and using recipes that call for lemon may reduce digestive side effects. Also effective in reducing gas and bloating is eating one-half teaspoon of fennel seeds(toasted, raw, or candied) after a meal when you experience gas or bloating. Drinking water after consuming a high fiber meal is recommended to help fiber pass through the digestive tract. Tuscan kale (also known as lacinato or dinosaur kale) is easier to incorporate into the diet, tastes better than other types of kale, and can be eaten raw or cooked. Kale is a nutritious high-fiber dark green vegetable that will upgrade any diet.

Should I use curly kale for massaging?

Because some kale varieties are more delicate than others, we suggest using curly kale for massaging because it’s quite hearty, fibrous, and benefits from a good massage. Lacinato kale (also known as dinosaur or Tuscan kale) can be a bit too tender and delicate in our experience, making it not as ideal for massaging.

Should you massage baby Kale?

Just let it hang out in a bowl with the dressing. And if you’re working with tender baby kale, the kind you find packed in plastic tubs with the salad greens, you definitely don’t need to massage it—that stuff is delicate enough to eat on its own, and massaging it will just wilt it in a gross way.

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