Issue 24The Indonesian Cook

COLUMNIST: DINA WATT
The Indonesian Cook - Fashionable Feasts with Flowers and FoliageKale, part of the brassica family, has undergone a remarkable transformation over the past decade. It is now an established foodie fashion item, marketed as a nutritious superfood. It is a hardy crop, able to live throughout winter and summer and my recipe for kale fritters will satisfy even the fussiest of eaters.
But first, I am going to show you different ways of using pretty flower petals to elevate the presentation of your dishes and wow your family and guests as pansies, primroses, violas, nasturtiums, chive, and pak choi flowers and roses, to name but a few, are edible flowers which mark the celebration of summer.
Recipe 1: Bonnie Summer BrunchWhat to serve for brunch? If you want something simple with almost zero effort but still want to make it exciting, this is for you!
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What you need: (Serves 4)

Bread, preferably rye or sourdough bread

One tub of cream cheese

Butter (you can also make some chive flower butter to add even more colour)

2 firm red tomatoes

1 avocado

Salt & pepper

Ingredients from the garden: tomatoes (if you happen to have them), chive flowers, colourful pansies, strawberries, mint, lettuce, rocket leaves, mint leaves, thyme, and rosemary.

What to do:Prepare two big serving boards. Begin the recipe by toasting all the bread and cutting it into quarters, and let them cool off.
Slice the avocado and drizzle a bit of lime juice on them to retain their green colour. The acid from the lime or lemon juice will keep the avocado green for a few hours. Slice the tomatoes thinly. Wash all of your plant harvests thoroughly.
Spread some of the toasted bread with cream cheese and butter (as I have mentioned before, chive flower butter works well). Add the sliced tomatoes and avocados. Then garnish each piece of bread with your garden ingredients. Check out the pictures on how I present this brunch.
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I serve these pretty toasts with a bowl of garden salad, using different types of lettuce and adding strawberries too. Red wine vinaigrette is one of my favourite salad dressings.
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Be even more creative if you wish and have fun making this brunch idea.
Recipe 2: Super Crispy Kale Fritters
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What you need:

2 cups of plain flour

1 tspn of garlic paste

Half a big onion, finely sliced

A handful of chopped kale (alternatively use cabbage, leek, zucchini, or Brussels sprouts)

A handful of sliced/shredded carrots

A handful of chopped spring onions

A handful of chopped coriander leaves (leave out if you don’t like)

A good pinch of salt & white pepper

Half a cup of cold water

Half a teaspoon of chicken bouillon

A good splash of fish sauce

Sunflower or vegetable oil

What to do: Start with the batter. Put the plain flour, garlic, salt, white pepper, water, and chicken bouillon together in a big bowl and mix them all together. If it is a bit dry, do not worry as the water from the kale and carrots will seep through later on.
Continue mixing and add the onion, kale, carrots, and fish sauce. Taste if this is enough saltiness for your liking. Lastly, add lots of chopped spring onions and coriander leaves. Give it a good stir, the consistency should be as if you are making a coleslaw. Add a splash of water if needed. The batter is perfect if, when scooped off the spoon, it is not runny but sticky.

Heat a pan filled with oil. Using the palm of your hand just on top of the pan, if you can feel the heat, it is ready for frying. Using a large tablespoon, select some batter and drop each scoop off into the hot oil. In my normal pan, I could probably fit 8 scoops but it is important to leave some spaces in between.
Fry them on each side for about 7-8 minutes until they look golden brown. Take them out and drain the excess oil (using a paper towel works well).
Serve these delicious super crispy fritters with sweet chilli sauce or just a simple bowl of chopped chilli mixed with soy sauce.
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Dina Watt ProfileDina Watt, an Indonesian, now living in Aberdeenshire, is known as the Indonesian Cook. Dina’s love of nature and gardening fuels her passion for cooking using home-grown ingredients. She appeared on BBC's 'Beechgrove' in 4 episodes in 2021.
In her column, Dina shares her own adventurous recipes for delicious home-cooked meals that are easy to make using home-grown, seasonal fruits and vegetables from her own kitchen garden. She is passionate about using every bit of the plant in order to practice zero-waste principles.Scotland Grows Issue 24NavigationContentsEditor's WelcomeScone Palace Garden Fair Show Guide 2024Welcome to Scone Place Garden Fair 2024What You Need to KnowScone Palace Garden Fair Demonstration ProgrammeWhat's On at Scone Palace Garden FairScone Palace Garden Fair Friday Speakers ProgrammeScone Palace Garden Fair Saturday Speakers ProgrammeSeed Swapping FrenzyExhibitors 2024Insta Meet-upCreate a Pond in a PotGrow Your Business with Scotland GrowsScottish Garden Design Competition FinalistsFor the Love of PotsScotland Grows ShowAdventure Awaits in a NTS GardenNational Trust for Scotland - ROOTSMeconopsis Growers Thrive TogetherScone Palace Garden Fair TicketsGardening NewsWhat's Gorgeous in the Garden?Sensational SalviasReduce, Reuse, and RecycleScotland Grows website 23Natural Pest ControlRabbit Resistant PlantsSummer Party FlowersScotland Grows SubscriptionFruit Kvass – the Taste of SummerBee GratefulStay Safe in the SunPlant Collections at NTSCome and Chat About Plants 23Scottish Rock Garden ClubFeature Your GardenTulip Reflowering TipsBotanical Art for AllTop Tips from the PodcastA Garden From Scratch – the Next Step7 Deadly Plant SinsDry Soil DelightsMitigating Wildfire RisksScotland Grows Testimonial 1Pepper Plants Fly the NestCut and Come Again SaladsThe Indonesian CookMarvellous Mint5 Houseplants for the KitchenClayton's BookArch Healthy Living GardenOne Garden ThingWhat's On In ScotlandGarden Jobs AheadNext Issue advertThe Last WordArchives