Kale seems to be so popular these days. I’ve been eating it for years. My parents always grew it in the vegetable garden and they would prepare it in a big ol pot with collard greens and turnip greens. Oh, and lots of bacon or ham. I don’t think that’s the way most people eat it today. It’s known as a “healthy” thing these days. I know that kale is good for you, but I eat it because I really, really like it. I recently tried a variety of kale that I had never heard of. It’s called Lacinato Kale, or Tuscan Kale. Apparently it’s very popular in Italian cooking. I love this stuff. It’s more mellow in flavor than the regular kale we are all used to. The stems don’t have to be discarded either, since they are really tender. It’s not as curly as regular kale either. If you see it in your local grocery store, I highly recommend it.

This side dish is great with either variety of kale, or even a mixture of both. It goes well with chicken, beef or fish. It’s also great on top of some rice. I hope you try it.

Asian Stir Fry Kale

1 good size bunch of kale
2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
1 Tblsp. fresh grated ginger
couple of dashes of soy sauce
red pepper flakes (optional)
Black pepper to taste

If you are using the regular kale, remove the leafy parts from the stems. Throw away the stems. If you are using the Lacinato kale, there is no need to tear the leafy parts off.

Chop the kale into bite sized pieces. To a large skillet, on a medium heat, add some olive oil. Add the kale and saute until it starts to soften. Add the minced garlic, grated ginger and give it all a good mix until the texture is to your liking.  Add the soy sauce and black pepper. If you like spicy, add some red pepper flakes.

serves 2