Cooking kale and beet greens - recipes from Sri Lanka and India

It all began with 2 bunches of kale. My family’s reaction “NO kale chips please!” So, I had to hunt for a new recipe. I happened to be chatting on WhatsApp with my friend in Sri Lanka. She quickly whipped out an easy, different and delicious recipe for kale. 

See the recipe here :

SRI LANKAN KALE MALLUNG RECIPE

And then came the beet greens and LOTS of them! So, I decided to substitute spinach with beet greens in “dal” - and Indian lentil dish. Forgive me, I don’t have specific measurements for this because I eyeball everything. So here goes:

Beet Greens with Lentils

Using an Instant Pot:

• Finely chop beet greens, including the stems (make sure you wash them thoroughly to remove the sand)

• Finely chop half and onion

• Heat the Instant Pot in “saute” mode.

• Put about 1 tbsp of oil

• Add mustard seeds and allow them to splutter

• Add onions and saute till soft and translucent

• Add beet greens and mix

• Add salt, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder

• Add 1 cup of red lentils (red masoor)

• Add water (according to Instant Pot measurements)

• Put on “pressure cook” mode for approximately 8 minutes

• Enjoy with hot rice

Just so grateful to get fresh, healthy produce. It has made me be more creative and resourceful in the way my family cooks and eats. 

- Contributed by Arati N, Saratoga