Fried kale, South Indian version

Kale and Calcium 2

This is my second entry for Sangeeth Raghunathan's Eat Healthy.Calcium Rich contest.

Remember the last kale dish in which I only used the smallest leaves.
Well, here's what I did with the rest of the great big, calcium-rich bunch I had.
I washed them thoroughly, following my mother's rule of, 'wash everything thrice'. I removed a few stalks/spines from the largest leaves. I placed the leaves one on top of the other and rolled them up like a very large cigar and chopped them finely and then chopped them the other way pretending for a few minutes I was one of those big chefs on a cooking show. Later I felt I should have chopped the kale even finer.
Four sites I visited researching kale stated the spine of each leaf had to be removed, but my leaves were fresh and the stem reminded me of Indian dantu kuraku/dantachey bhaji ( spinach witha thick stalk;similar to the kale spine) that we cook with the stalks, so I just chopped the stems into half inch pieces.
Here's the rest to the recipe.

4 cups finely chopped kale and stalks.
1 large onion finely chopped.
4 large garlic cloves chopped or sliced (I put in about 10 whole cloves.)
1/2 tsp rai (mustard seed)
1 1/2 tsp split urad dal (white lentil)
3 red chillies
1 tsp red chilli powder (to taste)
Salt to tast.
2 Tbsp olive oil.

Heat oil. Add rai, when it splutters add urad dal. Let it brown and add red chillies
Fry for one minute.
Add chopped onion and garlic and fry till onion is light brown.
Add chilli powder and fry for another minute.
Remove all this and place in a bowl.
Put spinach into pan and let it fry on medium...don't add any water.
You can do this step in the microwave...put spinach in a bowl and mic. for three minutes...stir and microwave for another three.
When soft (kale takes a little longer to cook than normal spinach and hence the fine chop), add salt.
Like spinach, kale becomes one third the amount.
Add seasoning/onion mixture and mix well.
Serve hot.
The kale gave this spinach dish a great flavor and it's a great way to get the calcium we all need.