Oh, Kale Yes!

I've been suspicious of kale as an edible since the summer of 1990 when I worked as a waitress at Big Boy and we used this leafy green to camouflage the ice in our salad bar. At the end of the night, the case was emptied and any of the leftover garnish that wasn't completely covered in salad dressing, cottage cheese, or tomato guts was saved aside to be reused the next day, and the next day, and the next day if we really pushed it. Gross.

But kale is supposed to be quite high in nutrients and such, so I've decided to give it a try. I've also been guiltily eying a nearly full container of Israeli couscous that's been neglected in the pantry for far too long. It's a bit risky to try to make this pair work together, but I have a plan and I think it's going to be grand.

Here's what you need for:

North African Spicy Kale Stew

1 tablespoon of coriander seeds
1½ teaspoons of cumin seeds
1½ teaspoons of caraway seeds
1 teaspoon of black peppercorns
4 long dried chiles, stemmed, de-seeded, and broken into pieces
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 cups of water
2 cups of vegetable broth
½ a bunch of kale, rinsed, de-stemmed and de-spined, and torn into pieces
1 large bay leaf
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
4-5 mini purple potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon of Aleppo pepper
1-2 teaspoons of kosher salt, to taste
1 can of chick peas, rinsed
¾ cup of Israeli couscous, par cooked for about 4 minutes in a separate pot, drained, and rinsed
The juice of one lemon

Here's what to do:

Put the first 5 ingredients in a spice mill and blend until ground well. In a large pot with a drizzle of olive oil in the bottom, sauté the onion and garlic for several minutes, then stir in the spice mixture. Continue cooking until onions are cooked through and spices are fragrant.

Add the water, broth, kale, bay leaf, and potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes. Potatoes should still be firm and kale should be cooked down.

Stir in Aleppo pepper, salt, chick peas, par-boiled couscous, and lemon juice. Simmer on medium for about 10 more minutes until couscous is firm, but no longer crunchy. Discard the bay leaf and serve.

Oooh, I love how the potatoes match my dress. Why, yes, I think I will have a taste!

PS: It turned out divine. And quite different from anything I've made previously. It's super spicy, and has layers of different textures and flavors. Try it. Try it. Try it!