Kale and Corn Subji and some difficult thoughts
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So like this recipe and others like the caramelized kale creation, or the very Bengali Kale Piyanjee, this is a very Indian use of the now very trendy kale. It is a simple and very basic stir fry. A kale and corn subji. Some recipes are too simple for a complex name. Subji literally means vegetable and is the generic name for a simple vegetarian dish. This is a vibrant, seasonal and very flavorful and yet simple vegetarian dish.
I add in a nice amount of mint and some fresh lime to both add brightness and flavor.
Kale has somehow become a fussy poster child Because if it is not trendy and not massaged, how is it representative of cooking kale? Well guess what, both my cookbooks my first born The Bengali Five Spice Chronicles and the pretty new cookbook, Spices and Seasons all happily showcase Kale in their Indian Avatar.
On a different note, my spirits have been a little shot. Due to circumstances my mom is cutting her trip to the US short. She heads off for almost three months to Seattle. Mom is cutting her trip shorted to let us host my mom-in-law. Of course, mom tells me that there is always next time.
Spices and Seasons is a new concept as Indian cookbooks go. I am happy to see the support for the book so far.
A Gujarati version of this dish features fenugreek or methi. Gujarati cuisine often meshes sweet and savory pairings. The recent inaugural menu for the swearing in of the Indian Prime minister Narenda Modi, had dishes from many parts of the country . Including Methi Kela nu Shak, that pairs methi or fenugreek with the sweeter banana.
A shaak is more commonly known as a subji in North Indian culinary parlance. Both these dishes tend to be a drier creation just like this stir-fry featured here. The droolworthy menu includes a combination of classics such as the Dal Makhani, which I have as a slow cooker version in this recipe and over time the others such as the Rajasthani Bhindi, will hopefully find their way into this space as we move on.
I guess the fuss of the day is celebrity mom’s touting their working mom status, here is a controversial piece the latest offender being Emma Thompson, who suggests that mothers take a year off if they can afford it.
For this dish, any kind of greens will do. I often use a bag of frozen corn. Fresh corn of course is always a good idea. This lends itself to many variations. Add carrots, mix up the greens it is all good.
A colorful kale and corn quickfix dish that comes together in minutes.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 medium sized red onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 teaspoon red cayenne pepper
- 3 cups (about 1 pound) of chopped fresh or frozen kale (can be subbed with your favorite green)
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup roasted corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Heat the oil and add in the mustard seeds and wait until the seeds begin to crackle. Add in the red onion and saute well. The onion will wilt and begin to turn softly golden. Add in the ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Stir in the red cayenne pepper and the kale and stir well. Stir in the salt and mix well.
- Add in the kale and the mint leaves. Add in the salt and cook until the kale has wilted. Mix in the corn and stir well.
- Cover and cook for 2 minutes and serve immediately.