Kale thoran | Kale stir fry with lentils | Kale kootu

Kale stir fry with lentils and coconut.I never thought thoran would taste this good.

Kale is from the cabbage family and from Mediterranean spread  later to Europe. ..Even though it is one of the hardiest of greens donoo why they never made it to my land unlike other veggies Europeans brought. The leafy green looks more like the ruffles and frills of a pretty green dress. Ornamental ones are even prettier with beautiful colors.
I have been hearing about kale chips all over the blogosphere but  I am very much against  leaves being dehydrated in the oven in the name of chips... come on...  how different is it from dried leaves!! I was sure I am not going to do that .
That being said I am all for  trying new veggies and leafy bunch in indigenous recipes and salads  until someone really vouches and convinces me that fusion tastes great.Now kale was one such green just waiting for that right day in the store aisles until one day I chanced upon this recipe in Palaharam and decided to give it a try.Anupa had put fish curry ,moru kachiyathu and rice to go along with it.That was tempting enough for me to give kale a try.

She uses channa dal /Kadala parippu but here I have used tovaram parippu / toor dal .

INGREDIENTS :

Kale - a bunch
Toor dal / Pigeon peas -1/2 cup (u can use yellow split peas/ Kadala parippu)
Vegetable oil- 1 tbsp
Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp
Urad dal- 1 tsp

Whole red chili- 4 -5
Curry leaves- few

To grind coarsely:
Coconut - 3/4 cup
Small onion-3 chopped
Garlic- 3 chopped
Ginger-a small piece chopped
Cumin / Jeerakam- 1/ 2 tsp
Green chili- chopped
Turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste

METHOD

1.Cook toor dal until 2/3 cooked( DON'T MASH IT ). Wash the Kale thoroughly and separate the stem and the leaf part.Chop the stem first as it needs more time to cook.
2.Heat a wide pan with oil in it and add mustard when it crackles add urad dal when it turns red then whole red chilies,curry leaves then the stem chopped sprinkle some water cover and cook until slightly tender .
While it is cooking chop the leaves .
3.Open lid and add the toor dal give it a good toss then add the chopped leaves give it two minutes to wilt then add the coarsely ground paste mix it well and let it cook.Wait till all the water dries up and the dish is dry .It may take about 10 minutes.
Serve along with fish curry,yogurt curry and rice.


                        Since the recipe part is taken care of shall we go somewhere else ....hmmm...

                         How about some kayaking around a  kale island on full moon night !!!

     
This goes to the 92 nd Edition of Black and White Wednesday - a Culinary Photography Event created by Susan of The Well-Seasoned Cook, now organized by Cinzia of Cindystar and hosted this week by Simona of  Briciole 

                                                             Title : "Kale Island"

PS: Except adding moon and its reflection I have not altered the picture in any way :)

Hope to hear from u lovely people out there.

Meena.