Coconut Creamed Kale
These greens offer a unique twist on traditional creamed greens. In this recipe, curly kale, velvety coconut milk, aromatic curry powder, and zesty chili sauce are combined and baked, resulting in a delightful contrast of two textures: creaminess at the base and a crispy, kale chip-like crunch on top.The addition of crispy coconut flakes contributes even more texture to the dish. Drizzle the curry coconut sauce generously over the greens. They can be enjoyed alongside rice, hearty noodles, roasted squash, red lentils, or white fish or shrimp.
Ingredients
- 2 cans 13 ounces each of full-fat coconut milk
- 2 tablespoons of Madras curry powder
- 1 piece of fresh ginger approximately 2 inches, peeled and finely grated (equivalent to about 1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon of sambal oelek or Sriracha sauce
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 large bunches of curly kale approximately 1 pound, with stems removed and leaves torn into 3-inch pieces
- ½ cup of unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a 3-quart/9-by-13-inch baking pan, use a fork to thoroughly combine the coconut milk, curry powder, grated ginger, and sambal oelek. Season the mixture with 1 teaspoon of salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper.
- Add half of the kale leaves and use your hands to toss them, ensuring they are well coated. Then, add the remaining kale, season with additional salt and pepper, and gently massage the kale with your hands to reduce its volume so it no longer extends beyond the edges of the baking dish. Toss it briefly, once or twice, so some kale gets coated with the sauce.
- Bake the dish for 35 minutes. Sprinkle the top with the coconut flakes, then continue to bake until the sauce thickens and the kale on top becomes crispy, which should take 10 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the coconut flakes to prevent them from burning. Serve the dish while it's still warm.