April 28, 2010

Braised Kale over Brown Rice with Peanut Sauce


Technically, this recipe is still in progress. I've been toying with it for a while, and I think it tastes really nice, but it seems to be missing just a little something. Soy sauce? Curry powder?? I can't put my finger on it. So, feel free to experiment with it. And if you find that special "punch" please let me know what it is!

P.S. I love a rich, hearty peanut butter flavor, so this sauce is thick with it. If you prefer a more subtle peanut  "whang," try reducing the peanut butter by half. 

1 cup long grain brown rice
2 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 bunch green kale, chopped (stems removed)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
3/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
Dash of cayenne
  • Bring two cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add brown rice. Stir, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until soft (30 - 45 minutes). 
  • While rice is cooking, prepare your peanut sauce. In a medium bowl, mix together peanut butter, water and spices until well-blended. Set aside.
  • Heat olive oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Add onions and garlic, saute until translucent and soft. Add kale and cook only until dark green and slightly wilted (5-10 minutes). Do not overcook or kale will turn into a slimy mess.
  • Add peanut sauce to kale and stir until well-coated.
  • Place desired amount of rice into a bowl and top with kale and sauce mixture.
  • Garnish with chopped peanuts.
  • Enjoy!

6 comments:

Tanya said...

Those are my two favorite things in one!! Must try this :)

Vic Robinson said...

This looks great! I love the idea of your blog. There is a lot of people that assume being vegan is expensive. :)

Unknown said...

Try some apple cider vinegar or lime juice in the sauce. It might make all the difference :)

dreaminitvegan said...

I agree with Kirsten, lime juice does wonders!

idtelligence said...

Try using hoison sauce and a bit of curry powder.

I sometimes top off the dish with sriracha.

:)

The Clancy Kid said...

I like where Kristen is coming from. My own varriant on this sort of tends toward a satay-ish peanut sauce. Tomato sauce, vinegar, agave syrup, soy sauce, red pepper sauce - to accompany the beanut butter. Maybe throw in some black beans at the end, make this a complete one dish meal. Good recipe!