Kale is a leafy vegetable that is usually grouped into the “Cooking Greens” category with collards, mustard and Swiss chard. The leaves can be curly and quite ornamental, but become too tough to eat fresh, as they mature. Kale is a member of the cabbage family and is considered to be a highly nutritious vegetable with powerful antioxidant properties; kale is considered to be anti-inflammatory. The beautiful leaves of the kale plant provide an earthy flavor and more nutritional value for fewer calories than almost any other food around. Although it can be found in markets throughout the year, it is in season from the middle of winter through the beginning of spring when it has a sweeter taste and is more widely available.
My friend Zue introduced me to cooked kale this way. Back in Malaysia they usually cook masak lemak with cassava leaves or pucuk paku (fiddleheads/fern shoot) but we can’t get this type of vegetables here so we replace it with kale which tasted pretty similar to pucuk paku.Ingredients:
One big bunch of kale
10 shrimps – peel and deveined
1 sweet potato – peels and cut into chunks
2 cloves of garlic
3 bird eyes chili
1 tbsp of turmeric powder
1 stalk lemon grass
1” ginger - sliced
1 cup of coconut milk
1 cup of water
Salt and sugar to taste
1. Wash the kale and remove the hard steams.2. Bring the water and coconut milk to boil. Add in sweet potato, garlic, turmeric, lemongrass and ginger. Stir until combined and add in the kale. Continue to cook until the kale and potato are soft.
3. Add in the shrimps, salt and sugar to taste. Cook for another 2 minutes. Dish out serve warm with rice.
19 comments:
I would eat it by itself and that would be so satisfying!
OMG, never seen a dish like this before - likely delicious.
This resembles a bit like 'lontong'. Those big prawns look so inviting!
Looks like a great comfort and yet very healthy dish!
At first I thought it is curry. Must try this healthy dish one day.
Wow, your masak lemak looks so orangey, is it due to the sweet potato? Cos masak lemak usually is whitish to pale yellow(due to turmeric).
I wonder how does kale taste like. Is it any like Kai Lan??
I love masak lemak....veggies and prawns and coconut milk... one of the best combos!
I just cooked this the other day. You can also use spinach or our local bayam. Just as good.
Oh boy oh boy, you really making hungry! I can take a big bowl of rice just with this. I like vegetables masak lemak in a mild way. It tastes so spicy sweet & flavourful. Remember those pucuk paku? That even yummier.LOL! I think you must be craving for that as well! haha.... Hope you're enjoying your day.
Cheers, Kristy
Remember when we were talking about this recipe?...meant to ask you for the exact recipe since I got a new batch of kale growing at my backyard...macam you can read my mind...telepathy...lol!Okay,i'll do this one of these days but I think I'll skip the sweet potatoes but add ikan bilis instead.Thank you...kiss!kiss!
The bitterness from the kale is sure a contrast from the sweet potatoes. This is a new dish to me, I guess you are good at infusing the traditional with the ingredients you have in US. Nice!
Lemak lemak, I like....with white rice, delicious!
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Thank you!
I've seen kale being mentioned and was wondering what type of veggie it is. Is there a 'Malaysian' name for it? I so crave for this masak lemak now. Looks super delicious! Hmm...I have sweet potato leaves growing in my backyard and might just cook this soon. It's one of my fmly's fav dish. Can surely 'tambah' nasi with this!
I'm new to both kale and pucuk paku. Your dish looks very aromatic and appetizing! Looks like a Peranakan dish to me! ;)
I have seen kale sold at supermarket but I have never bought. Need to try out!
Busygran, I too like this type of kampong style dish.
Jenifurla, I hope you try this dish out.
Cheah, yea this dish is a bit like lontong.
Angie, not as healty since it used coconut milk :)
Anncoo, ha ha no it is not the vegetable curry. I will put that up later. By the way can you get kale in Singapore?
Wendy, the orangey color came from the turmeric powder. Yes Kale does taste a bit like kailan.
Zurin, yes it is :)
Sarah, I should try out with spinach sometime.
Kristy, I like this type of dish especially load up the gravy in rice. Yea I miss pucuk paku. Too bad can't find it here.
Shereen, how are you doing? This is how I cook this dish. If you have ready made sambal you can add a tbsp to it too.
Bee bee, yea we have to make do with whatever ingredients we can get here :)
Pete, thanks.
Petite Nyonya, yes you can get kale at those organic shop. As for supermarket check out the organic vegetable section. I've have seen it at JJ. You can always use the tender part of Tapioca leaves.
Food for Tots, do try this dish out if you can find pucuk paku or kale.
Leemei, welcome back. I have you had a great time in Malaysia.
I new to kale, but I like to eat lemak dish with steamed white rice, simply yummy.
I enjoyed reading, this recipe is looks great! but I’ve found easier way to save time from doing all this chopping I use “Dorot” which are Frozen Herbs, like Crushed chili Cubes and their Chopped garlic Cubes. It really saves time and hassle
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