Going Lite with Kale Thoran

kale-leaves.jpg

RP blogged about kale thoran last year. Ever since, it’s been a regular at our household. Coffee’s MBP ( Monthly Blog Patrol) is the perfect event to give thanks for the recipes from fellow bloggers. The theme this month is Going Lite. This was the perfect oppurtunity to thank RP for this wonderful healthy and lite recipe.

The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around ( Link)

kale-leaves-1.jpg

Raw chopped kale leaves

While preparing greens, I have seen that urad dal is added along with mustard. But I used raw rice instead, as my mother would.

Kale Thoran ( original recipe here)

Kale – 1 bunch ( sliced fine)

Shallot- 2

Green chilies – 6

Grated coconut- 1/4 cup

Mustard seeds- 1/2 tsp

Raw unccoked rice- 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Salt to taste.

Add oil to the hot pan. Add mustard seeds and when they start to splutter, add the rice. The rice will start to puff up. Add the kale and give a quick stir.

In a small mortar, mix the shallots, green chilies and coconut. Just a coarse mix is fine. Make a small area in the centre of the pan and add the coconut mixture. Cover it with the kale like this. ( You can add the coconut to the kale and give a mix but my aunt used to make thorans this way. I happened to think of her and followed her method)

Cover and cook for 5 mins on low medium heat. Stir, add salt and cook covered again till the leaves are at your desired texture. Kale leaves take longer than other leafy greens.

kale-thoran-1.jpg Kale Thoran

Serve with rice.

Swap baked kale for potato chips- ??

22 Responses to this post.

  1. your pics are outstanding, gini.

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  2. Ilove Kale.We make a stir-fry similar to this.Kale has the maximum amount of Iron!

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  3. Looks so good, Gini! I should put this in my regular meal rotation.

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  4. Hmm this is just like murungaikeerai thoran gini.. Will try this out.

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  5. i am not sure what i like more…recipe or photo :)

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  6. Thanks, Bee.

    Asha, thanks for that nutritional info.

    Nupur, it is really good. It is bitter but not to an excess. We include it whenever we find good looking kale.

    Yes, Revathi. I think the textures are close.

    Sia, :)

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  7. thats beautiful gini
    why rice?
    luv the masala….now a days i use it more often :)

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  8. Anu, thorans are traditionally eaten with rice. That is why I mentioned that. It will go well with rotis too.

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  9. Ain’t that kale look pretty? Lovely pictures. One thing I have come to like in kale is its texture that stands stir-frying unlike other greens. But its tough and i mostly use it with aloo. This recipe looks like a keeper.


    With aloo sounds like a real good idea.

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  10. Oh those greens!!!!! I must search for this on my next visit to the market!! :) From the pic, it looks like your stir0frying it had not made it go limp like other greens!!
    Thanks for the lovely entry Gini and yes…….. the pic is gorgeous. :)


    Like Suganya said, they hold their shape quite well.

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  11. Kale is a beautiful vegetable and your pics make it more attractive.

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  12. Hi!
    Pics are very nice!!!!! preparation is also easy !!perfect entry for going lite MBP!!

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  13. Lovely pics!! and the recipe is so easy to make!!!! Thanx

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  14. great presentation/pics…lovely simple healthy recipe…many thanks for sharing

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  15. I will have to keep this in mind when our kale starts coming in–mustard seeds, coconut and kale–it has to be wonderful!

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  16. [...] about a very lite kale thoran to go with any meal? Thats how Gini thanks her for the [...]

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  17. Mmm – looks so healthy! I love kale, and this seems like divine preparation.

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  18. Posted by Rg on July 11, 2007 at 5:45 pm

    I tried this recipe. it was good and yeah it’s light and healthy . also Your kovakka+Carrot thoran was also the best of thorans I’ve ever had or made. Thanks for such nice recipes.

    Rg.

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  19. Rg, Thanks for letting me know. I am so happy to know that you liked the recipes.

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  20. Hi ,
    You have some great vegetarian recipes here.Your pics are really good!
    I just bought a bunch of kale yesterday hoping I would find something I could make with it. Saw this on your blog! I am going to make this right now.
    I have never tried using Kale before.
    Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply

  21. [...] about a very lite kale thoran to go with any meal? Thats how Gini thanks her for the [...]

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