Cavolo Nero or Kale Bhaji/Sabji
Cavolo Nero Or Kale Bhaji
Mamta Gupta
Cavolo nero, also known as black kale, Tuscan kale, Lacinato and Nero de Toscana. It tastes a little like stir-fried mustard leaves, which are popularly eaten in India as a Saag.
Cooked this way, serve it as part of any Indian meal or with Plain Paratha or use it as a filling for toasted sandwiches. Sprinkle a little cheese on top of the Cavolo Nero, before covering with the second slice of bread. Then cook in a sandwich toaster.
Serves 4 as a side dish.
Edited March 202
Ingredients
200 gm. Cavolo Nero
2/100-150 gm. shallots or a medium onion. Onions can be omitted
2-3 cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped or grated
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp. cooking oil, I use mustard or rape seed oil
1 tsp. black mustard seeds/Panch Pooran seeds
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. chilli powder/chilli flakes, adjust to taste
1 tsp. salt, adjust to taste
Juice of 1/4 lemon, to taste
Optional
1 tsp. mango or other oily pickle, crushed
Instructions
Wash the leaves.
Place lengthways on a board and remove central vein from each leaf. Keep aside.
Shred the leaves finely.
Put all stalks together and chop finely. Keep aside.
Slice shallots/onions thinly.
Chop/grate ginger and garlic finely.
Heat oil in a wok or karahi.
Add mustard/Panchpooran seeds, wait until seeds splutter.
Add shallots/onion, ginger and garlic and stir fry until onions are just getting soft.
Add the chopped Cavolo Nero stalks, stir, cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
Add chopped leaves, salt chilli powder and turmeric. Stir fry on high heat for 1-2 minutes to mix the spices and release their flavour.
Turn heat low and cook covered, stirring from time to time. If you cook on correct temperature, no additional water will be required. However, you may sprinkle some if it begins to burn before it is ready.
When Cavolo Nero is cooked, add garam masala and juice of 1/2 a lemon.
Taste and adjust seasoning.
Turn heat up and stir fry until all water is absorbed and vegetable looks shiny and fried.
Serve hot with Chapatties and Dal of choice or with