Indian Spiced Kale & Chickpeas

My garden is a barren patch of land… except for the kale which is still going strong. Jack is not wild about it, and I am able to circumvent that when I add it to a soup or stew. But he does not appreciate kale when it is the “star attraction” of a recipe; which I why I saved this Eating Well recipe to make just for myself.

I had the opportunity the other day and made the Indian Spiced Kale & Chickpeas for lunch while he was at a meeting. I have to admit, though, that the kale was a bit too much as a main dish. Or it could have been served over rice. But, in any case, it was very good.

I followed the recipe and changed it buy adding additional cumin and garam masala, and also some hot curry powder. I just love Indian spices, and I could have upped the quantities even a bit more. I also added sautéed onion and tomatoes for both extra color and flavor.

Served with (Trader Joe’s) naan, it made a nice, filling lunch. I will make it again, but perhaps as a side dish.

Indian Spiced Kale & Chickpeas

4 servings, about 3/4 cup each

Active Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-1 1/2 pounds kale, ribs removed, coarsely chopped (see Tip)
• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon garam masala, (see Ingredient note)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add kale and cook, tossing with two large spoons, until bright green, about 1 minute. Add broth, coriander, cumin, garam masala and salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the kale is tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chickpeas; cover and cook until the chickpeas are heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Tips & Notes

• Tip: A 1- to 1 1/2-pound bunch of kale yields 16 to 24 cups of chopped leaves. When preparing kale for these recipes, remove the tough ribs, chop or tear the kale as directed, then wash it--allowing some water to cling to the leaves. The moisture helps steam the kale during the first stages of cooking.
• 
  
• Ingredient Note: Garam masala, a ground spice mixture traditionally including coriander, cumin, cinnamon, peppercorns, cardamom and cloves, is commonly used in Indian cooking. Find it in the specialty-spice section of large supermarkets.

Eating Well October/November 2005


My changes: I sauteed chopped onion in olive oil before adding the garlic; I added a chopped tomato about 2 minutes before adding the chickpeas; cumin and garam masala amounts were doubled and a little hot curry powder was added for heat.