Kale with Caramelized Onions – And a Kale Story
Kale is everywhere including in our backyard. The large and hearty plants are growing happily. We have two varieties. The recipe of the day is Kale with Caramelized Onions or Saag Mughlai. It is a simple recipe with deep and rich flavors.
The Story of Kale with Caramelized Onions
This year’s kale has a story- what I would like to call a kale story. This story goes back to my attempts at conscious living. Something that started with a trip to Denmark a few summers ago. Comparing notes, I am amazed to see how wasteful we are here in the US.
In Denmark, people instinctively used reusable bags at the grocery store. Men in suits biked to work. Food is simple and sold with minimal packaging. I felt like the big, bad, wasteful American.
Inspired, I want to do more to help things. I also realize that conscious living is much more than stopping at the local farmer’s market.
It is teaching and learning how to live well. This year’s kale is largely from my daughter’s tiny garden patch. Taking the place of last year’s radishes.
The best part of everything is that that the seedlings started as a part of a science experiment for my daughter.
Since, she was going to actually plant some seedlings, we decided to work with Kale. We figured this way, she would be able to complete her experiment and we could use the “fruits” or in this case the leaves of her efforts. The blue plant did need some CPR from dad, before we could move it along further, but all three survived and are still thriving.
About the Kale Dish
Working through this kale dish, which has become a family favorite is much simpler. This is something we all agree on. This is a simple and festive dish, with the magical complex sweetness of the caramelized onion, melting into the raisins offering a gentle balance to the light and bitter notes of the kale. This recipe is adapted from a North Indian recipe called Saag Mughlai. Another recent Kale offering from my kitchen is this Kale with Yellow Split Lentils
How to Enjoy your Kale with Caramelized Onions
It can complement any meal of your choice. My personal favorite is to pair this with a side of grilled fish kebabs.
An interesting and very flavorful take on Kale.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup oil such as avocado or grape seed oil
- 1 tablespoon whole cumin seeds
- 2 red onions, thinly sliced
- 4 cups of finely chopped kale (about 1 pound)
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 2 tablespoons raisins
Instructions
- Heat the oil on medium heat and add in the whole cumin seeds. Allow the seeds to sizzle just a little.
- Add in the red onions and cook the onions slowly until the onions wilt and turn golden brown. This process will take about 10 minutes and will need frequent stirring while cooking.
- Stir in the kale and allow the kale to wilt and mesh into the onions.
- Add in the salt and the raisins and cook briefly. Serve immediately.
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