Honestly, I have not heard about something called "Kale" when in India. In India we get a variety of greens, totally different from the ones we get here. I remember the Keeraikaramma (meaning greens selling lady) selling a bunch of different greens. She used to yell "Araikeerai, Mulaikeerai, Sirukeerai, Ponnanganni keerai, Manathakkali keerai". Those are few of the tamil names of the keerai I remember. But Kale, Chards, Arugula etc.,. are not so common there. After coming to US I missed all those keerais (sshh, hope my grandma doesn't hear me saying this), but I still got access to fenugreek leaves, spinach and even drumstick leaves sometimes.
After I bought Kale for the first time, I was doubtful on how to cook it, to be more precise how to convert it into an Indian dish. I remembered Denny's recipe on Kale Molagootal which I tried time and again and fell in love with. Slowly I started using it in soups and omelets. Kale could particularly be a difficult ingredient to cook with but, given a little time and care it tastes really good.
Ingredients:
Serves - 3
Kale - 1 bunch - I used purple kale
Toor dhal - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch optional
Onion - chopped - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 3 cloves - chopped
Dry red chillies - 2 - broken
Oil - 1 tsp
Water - 1 cup plus more to cook the dhal
Salt - to taste
Method:
Heat 1 cup of water and toor dhal in a saucepan with a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of salt. Cook the dhal until it still holds its shape but mashed when pressed. Drain the water and set the dhal to cool.
Remove the hard stems of the kale and cut the leaves to small bite sized pieces. In a wide pan, heat oil and fry the onions, garlic and red chillies until the onion is cooked through. Add a pinch of salt and the kale leaves and mix well. Add the water, cover and cook until the leaves are fully cooked. It took somewhere around 15-20 minutes for me. Remove the cover and mix once in every 3-4 minutes. If the water is evaporated but the kale is still not cooked, add more water as needed to cook. When the kale is cooked add the cooked toor dhal and mix well. Serve as a side. If you are on a health kick, it is great as a snack too with a cup of greek yogurt.
Linking this up to Nayna's Let's Cook - Green Vegetables; Vardhini's New 'U' 2014.
After I bought Kale for the first time, I was doubtful on how to cook it, to be more precise how to convert it into an Indian dish. I remembered Denny's recipe on Kale Molagootal which I tried time and again and fell in love with. Slowly I started using it in soups and omelets. Kale could particularly be a difficult ingredient to cook with but, given a little time and care it tastes really good.
Ingredients:
Serves - 3
Kale - 1 bunch - I used purple kale
Toor dhal - 2 tbsp
Turmeric powder - a pinch optional
Onion - chopped - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 3 cloves - chopped
Dry red chillies - 2 - broken
Oil - 1 tsp
Water - 1 cup plus more to cook the dhal
Salt - to taste
Method:
Heat 1 cup of water and toor dhal in a saucepan with a pinch of turmeric and a pinch of salt. Cook the dhal until it still holds its shape but mashed when pressed. Drain the water and set the dhal to cool.
Remove the hard stems of the kale and cut the leaves to small bite sized pieces. In a wide pan, heat oil and fry the onions, garlic and red chillies until the onion is cooked through. Add a pinch of salt and the kale leaves and mix well. Add the water, cover and cook until the leaves are fully cooked. It took somewhere around 15-20 minutes for me. Remove the cover and mix once in every 3-4 minutes. If the water is evaporated but the kale is still not cooked, add more water as needed to cook. When the kale is cooked add the cooked toor dhal and mix well. Serve as a side. If you are on a health kick, it is great as a snack too with a cup of greek yogurt.
Linking this up to Nayna's Let's Cook - Green Vegetables; Vardhini's New 'U' 2014.
delicious and healthy keerai curry.
ReplyDeleteHealthy one with kale. will try this...
ReplyDeleteHealthy poriyal!!!yum!!!
ReplyDeletevery healthy side dish
ReplyDeleteOn-going event: Healthy vegetarian side dishes.
I have never tastes Kale but seen so many recipes made with them. I will try this stir fry to begin with when I go find them
ReplyDeleteThankyou for sharing this healthy recipe and sending it to lets cook with green veg event at simply.food.
ReplyDelete