Kale Poricha Kuzhambu

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Kale Poricha Kuzhambu is a nutritious and flavorful South Indian twist on a classic comfort dish. This recipe replaces traditional vegetables with super-green kale, simmered in a protein-rich toor dal (lentil) base and finished with a freshly ground aromatic coconut and spice paste.

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Kuzhambu, Side Dish

Cuisine: South Indian

Diet: Vegan

Servings: servings

Calories: 119kcal

Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Equipment

Instant Pot
pan
Blender

Ingredients

4 cups Kale chopped
½ cup Tuvaram Paruppu / toor dal
½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 teaspoon Jaggery / Brown sugar
to taste Salt
1 teaspoon Oil coconut oil or gingelly oil

Fry and Grind -

1 teaspoon Oil coconut oil or gingelly oil
2 tablespoon Ullutham Paruppu / Urad dal
3 Red chilies adjust depending on spice level
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
1 teaspoon Rice
½ cup Grated coconut

To season -

1 teaspoon Oil coconut oil or gingelly oil
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
2 teaspoon Ullutham Paruppu / Urad dal
2 Red chilies optional
¼ teaspoon Asafetida

Instructions

Prep the kale -

Begin by chopping the kale, washing it and drain and keep aside.
4 cups Kale

Prepare the lentil (toor dal) -

Wash and cook the dal using your preferred method. Add needed water and turmeric powder when cooking the paruppu. I use 3 times the water for dal.
½ cup Tuvaram Paruppu / toor dal
I use an Instant Pot and I cook it on pressure cook mode for about 13 minutes until it is mushy.
If using a pressure cooker, cook it for 4 whistles.
Once the lentil is cooked, remove it and mash it slightly, and keep aside.

Fry and Grind -

Heat about a teaspoon of oil and fry the urad dal, red chilies, a little rice, black pepper, and cumin.
1 teaspoon Oil, 2 tablespoon Ullutham Paruppu / Urad dal, 3 Red chilies, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds, 1 teaspoon Rice, ½ cup Grated coconut
When they turn aromatic, add the grated coconut and fry for a couple of minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down. Then grind the spice mix using a little water to make a paste.

Cook the kale -

Heat a heavy-bottomed pan and add a teaspoon of oil. Add the chopped kale and saute for about 5 minutes.
4 cups Kale, 1 teaspoon Oil
Now add about a cup of water, turmeric powder, and salt, and cook the kale until it is soft. This took about 10 minutes for me.
½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder, to taste Salt

Add the spice paste and lentil -

Check the kale to see if it's soft. Now add the ground spice paste and the cooked and mashed toor dal.
Mix them well and let the kuzhambu boil on low heat for 7 to 10 minutes.
Adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed.
Add a little jaggery in the end (optional) and mix.
1 teaspoon Jaggery / Brown sugar

Season -

Heat a small pan and add oil.
1 teaspoon Oil
Once the oil heats up, add the mustard seeds, urad dal, dry red chillies, and asafetida and fry.
1 teaspoon Mustard seeds, 2 teaspoon Ullutham Paruppu / Urad dal, 2 Red chilies, ¼ teaspoon Asafetida
Add this tempering to the simmering poricha kuzhambu and turn off the flame.

Nutrition