I might be losing some of you with this recipe, but it has so many of my favorite things: kale, peanut butter (a precious commodity here that I sacrificed for the making of this stew, knowing that my parents will come bearing more in 2 weeks), sweet potatoes, and chickpeas. The chickpeas and kale are great sources of iron, which makes it a great recovery meal to bring to a new mom (and it can be eaten one-handed). And guess what . . . kids can eat kale. I assure you that behind that frown-like kale mustache, Elsa's face shows pure kale love.
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| Elsa, 7.5 months |
I was happy to learn that Germany also appreciates (and grows, and eats) kale, which is called Grünkohl (green cabbage) or, in Wolfenbüttel, Braunkohl (brown cabbage, which sounds nasty). I was even happier when I saw this sign in the fall, and couldn't agree more. . .
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| "Kale season is the most beautiful season" |
Anyway, this recipe is another one from our farm newsletter that saved our fridge from being overrun by massive stalks of kale.
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tbsp oil
4 cups vegetable stock (or water)
1/2 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or approx 2 cups cooked)
2 cups of diced sweet potatoes
1/4 cup peanut butter
1-2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp lemon juice
chili powder (about 1 tsp..adjust to taste)
1/2 bunch of kale, ribs removed, leaves finely chopped
Saute the onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until the onions are soft. Do not brown. Add stock, sweet potato, chickpeas, and brown rice. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until rice is soft (approx 30-40 minutes).
Stir together peanut butter, soy sauce, lemon juice, chili powder, and 1/2 cup of hot broth. When the mixture is well-stirred, return it to the pot. Add the shredded kale and cook for 5-10 minutes more, until the kale is cooked. (If you feel like the kale is going to explode out of your pot, don't worry. Carefully fold it in to the stew and it will cook down almost immediately).
I am a fellow Grünkohl lover. It's really huge in the far north where I was born (Oldenburg)and grew up (Bremen) where they eat Kohl und Pinkel (another one of those word things because 'Pinkel' in this case does not mean to pee but rather is the name of a sausage made mostly with barley and -Schmalz, onions? I guess.
ReplyDeletehttp://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinkel You should try it if you can find some in your area. It is sooo yummy. Luckily Karl's Sausage Kitchen in Saugus, MA sells it frozen for my occasional cravings (like NOW) but of course they charge about $8. Worth it for a craving, right?
I don't think the American Wikipedia has an entry für 'Grünkohlessen' but the German one does. Check it out.
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gr%C3%BCnkohlessen
They have Kohl und Pinkel expeditions in the north too. It's awesome!!!