Entertaining

Salt and pepper palm hearts

Name: Vegan salt and pepper calamari recipe: palm hearts
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1.6 kg canned palm hearts; 250.00 g (1 cup) arrowroot or tapioca flour; 3 tablespoons almond meal; 3 tablespoons coconut flour; 1 tablespoon sea salt; 1 tablespoon ground white pepper; Coconut oil, for frying; Lime wedges, to serve; Pinch of sea salt; 2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped; 1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped; 1 spring onion, finely sliced; 1 teaspoon maple syrup or coconut nectar; 2 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or avocado oil; 100 ml coconut cream; 100 ml iced filtered water

1 rating

https://healthimprovements.info/recipes/vegan-salt-pepper-calamari-recipe-palm-hearts/a3lvz35o — Salt and pepper palm hearts

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by Luke Hines

Sep 12, 2019

This is the vegan version of salt and pepper calamari. This is an edited extract from 'Eat More Vegan by Luke Hines, Published by Plum, RRP $39.99, Photography by Mark Ropper.'

1.6 kg canned palm hearts
125 g (1 cup) arrowroot or tapioca flour
3 tablespoons almond meal
3 tablespoons coconut flour
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon ground white pepper
Coconut oil, for frying
Lime wedges, to serve

Chilli sauce

Pinch of sea salt
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1 long red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 teaspoon maple syrup or coconut nectar
2 tablespoons coconut aminos or tamari
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive or avocado oil

Batter

125 g (1 cup) arrowroot or tapioca flour
100 ml coconut cream
100 ml iced filtered water

Method

1.

To make the chilli sauce, mash the salt and garlic together in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk well. Set aside.
2.

Drain the canned palm hearts, then pat them dry with paper towel and cut into 2 cm thick discs. Using your fingers, carefully push out the centre from each disc (these can be blended together with other vegetables to create a delicious dip, or used to bulk out soups).
3.

Mix the arrowroot or tapioca flour, almond meal, coconut flour and salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Add the palm hearts and toss them through the crumb mixture to coat well. (Alternatively, place the ingredients in a resealable bag, add the palm heart discs and shake well.)
4.

For the batter, whisk together the arrowroot or tapioca flour, coconut cream and iced water in a bowl.
5.

Heat a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium heat and fill with coconut oil to a depth of 2.5 cm. Heat the oil to 180°C. (To test if the oil is hot enough, simply drop a small piece of bread into it – if it sizzles and bubbles, you’re good to go.)
6.

Working in batches, dip the crumb-coated palm heart discs in the batter, then dip into the salt and pepper crumb again. Once coated, lower them into the hot oil – do not overcrowd the pan – and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until golden brown all over. Once cooked, remove from the pan and place on paper towel to drain.
7.

Pile the salt and pepper palm hearts onto a platter and serve with the chilli sauce and lime wedges.

Review 1

Recipe Notes

Palm heart is a delicious, crunchy vegetable harvested from the centre of the cabbage palm tree. Though it resembles white asparagus, the flavour is much more delicate, making it extremely versatile in cooking (when finely chopped it breaks into shreds that resemble fresh crab meat, making it perfect for salads, stir-fries and dips). Nutritionally speaking, palm heart is also an excellent source of protein and fibre, as well as potassium, vitamins B6 and C, calcium, niacin, phosphorus and zinc.