But [...]]]> Kale is truly the golden child of the garden for today’s nutritionists. It is considered by many to be one of the most nutritious green vegetables around and boasts a powerful arsenal of vitamins and antioxidants such as Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and various Carotenoids (a pigment that our bodies need to manufacture Vitamin A).

But don’t think that this trendy so-called superfood is a newcomer to the culinary scene. Kale has been cultivated for over 2000 years and was the most widely eaten green vegetable in Europe until it was eclipsed by cabbage in the middle ages.

During the dark years of World War II rationing, Kale was championed by the Dig For Victory campaign as a vegetable that was easy to grow, frost hardy, and full of important nutrients to help support the meager diets of the time. The Kale we know today is a bit sweeter and more appealing to the eye and palate than the varieties of the past, but it has retained its treasure trove of nutrients.

Traditionally, Kale was often boiled like cabbage and served alongside the main meal, but cooks today have become adept at serving it in more interesting ways.

For this recipe we use Kale to add a twist to a traditional Thai Green Curry dish, where its mild flavor is enlivened by the aromatic taste of  the curry paste and its crunchiness contributes notes of surprisingly delightful texture to the dish as a whole.

Thai Green Curry Soup with Kale

3 Cups Chicken Broth (or Vegetable broth)
1 Cup Coconut Milk
2 Tbsp. Green Curry Paste, store-bought or homemade (see recipe below*)
2 handfuls of Kale, roughly torn, with central ribs removed
½ lb rice noodles or soba noodles
Thai basil for garnish

• Cook the noodles in boiling water until soft but slightly al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water, and divide into two soup bowls
• If you don’t like your Kale particularly crunchy, steam or sauté until tender and add to the soup bowls
• Heat a few tablespoons of the coconut milk in a medium pot and stir in the curry paste. Allow to simmer for a minute or so while stirring frequently.
• Add the rest of the coconut milk and the chicken broth. Stir and simmer for one to two more minutes.
• Pour the hot broth over the noodles and Kale in your soup bowls and enjoy (make sure you have chopsticks to help with the noodles)

* Thai Green Curry Paste

It might take a while to find all of these ingredients (we suggest stopping at Uwajimaya in the International District first) but once you have everything, the process is quite simple. Try making this in a larger quantity and freezing for later.

1 stalk lemongrass, minced
1-3 green chilies, sliced (Thai green chilies OR jalapeno)
1 shallot, sliced, OR 4 Tbsp. minced purple onion
4-5 cloves garlic
1 thumb-size piece of galangal OR ginger, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves & stems
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper (available in most supermarket spice aisles)
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
3 Tbsp. fish sauce; Vegetarians: substitute 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. shrimp paste (available at Asian stores); Vegetarians: substitute 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. brown sugar
3-4 Tbsp. coconut milk (enough to blend ingredients together)
Add all ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth.

The paste will keep in the fridge for over a week.