Kale and Cabbage I have been discovering kale this year and learning to cook with it. Fresh Kale, I found out, is yummy and full of vitamins and antioxidants. There are a great many varieties of kale. My local grocer carries an organic variety with purple leaves they call Russian kale that is quite delicious. Sauté it with tempered spices and fresh tomatoes or onions and mint, decide on your mix of flavors and it makes a great accompaniment to rice, chapatti or bread. The dutch add it to mashed potatoes. The other day I made a quick batch with a white cabbage half to go with my lunch. It’s really delicious and flavorful and it takes 15 minutes and one pan.
Sautéed Kale and Cabbage in a creamy yogurt, ginger and chili sauce
Temper mustard seeds, cumin and urad dal, chilies and peanuts in canola oil. Add a pinch of hing and rasam powder. Add minced ginger. Add 2 cups chopped kale and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes. Add two cups chopped cabbage. Sprinkle salt and cover and cook till done but still firm. Toss in a cup of yogurt blended with ripe tomato, mint and chilies.
Ingredients
- Chopped Kale – 2 cups
- Chopped Cabbage – 2 cups
- Canola oil – 2 tbs
- red dried chili flakes – 1/4 tsp
- Thai Chilies – 2
- Fresh Minced ginger – 1 tsp
- Chopped fresh Cilantro – 1 sprig
- Diced tomatoes – 1 medium
- Asafoetida (hing) – 1/4 tsp
- Rasam Powder – 1/2 tsp
- Plain Yogurt – 1 cup
- Fresh mint – 1 sprig
- peanuts – 1/4 cup
- Black mustard seed – 1/2 tsp
- Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp
- Urad Dal – 1/2 tsp
- raw peanuts – 1/4 cup
Directions
- Heat oil in a large saute pan. Temper the spices and add the peanuts along with the urad dal. Stir till peanuts are roasted (one or two minutes). Add the asafoetida and rasam powder. Add the chopped kale and toss. Add minced ginger and chopped cabbage. Sprinkle with salt to taste and toss.
- Cover and allow to cook for two minutes, tossing occasionally. Add the chopped tomatoes and cover. You may need to add a bit of water occasionally (one tbs at a time) to prevent sticking. This will vary based on the water content of the kale and cabbage. Remove from heat when the kales is cooked but still firm. I like it a bit crunchy.
- Blend one cup of plain yogurt with a sprig on cilantro and a sprig of fresh mint. Remove the chilies from the sauté pan and add them to the yogurt. Blend until the chilies are ground up. Add the yogurt one the pan has cooled for five to ten minutes and stir.
- Serve with brown rice, on toast or with a chapati or stuffed in a pita. Roll in a burrito.
