One Year Old and Green Chard

Last friday, May the 15th, MySpciyKitchen turned one.  I had planned something special for the day but, I could not do it.  Last few days I was a little busy with visitors , getting our visas for our vacation next month and also recovering from a fever.   I will update my other blog venting about my visa ordeal very soon.

Coming to todays recipe, I have been thinking of cooking collard greens, kale and the chards Indian style for sometime.  Two days ago, as I was walking back from the UK consulate, I found a farmers market.  During spring and summers, one can find  many farmers markets and street vegetable venders all over the city.  I was unaware of this particulat farmers market as I do not walk down that side of the city, although it is not very far from where I live.  They had many fresh herbs and green vegetables and could not resist buying at least one vegetable from them.  Since I was thinking of trying out collard greens, kale and chards for a long time, I picked up a bunch of green chards, thinking it was kale.  I also looked at the chards and decided on kale for that day. When I got home, I realized I bought green chards instead of kale. The thing is, I can not differentiate these leafy vegetables and I look at the tag to know which one is which and some how I read the wrong label.

I had no intention on sharing the recipe with you all that day so I just went ahead and cooked it with out paying much attention to the measures of the ingredients I used.  Usually when I cook, I don’t measure the ingredients and go with approximate measures.  However, when I intend to blog about it or prepare an item for the blog, I make sure I measure the ingredients.  On this day, as I was not going to blog this recipe, I did not measure the ingredients.  Once I tasted it, I had to share it with you all.  I prepared it as I usually cook spinach stir fry and the chards tasted just like spinach and I loved it. If one likes spinach, I think they would love the chards too.

• Oil
• 1 small Onion chopped
• 5-6 Green Chilies cut (adjust to taste)
• 1 ½ – 2 tsp Garlic paste/crushed
• ½ tsp Chili powder (adjust to taste)
• ½ tsp Turmeric
• Salt to Taste
• 1 bunch Green Chard chopped

• Heat oil in a pan and saute the onions until translucent.
• Add garlic and chilies and saute for a minute.
• Add turmeric, chili powder and salt and stir well. Add chopped chards and stir well until all the spices and chards and mixed well.
• Cover and cook until chard is cooked. This should take about 5 minutes. Use your discretion here. I did not check the time.
• Remove the cover and fry for few minutes and serve hot with rice or chapatis.

• This was my first time cooking the green chard at home so I chopped and threw away most of the woody white stalk/stem of this leafy vegetable. I used the small, tender stalk that was close to to the leaf. This stalk/stem after cooking tasted like celery and I think I might use more of the stalk next time prepare it, as long as it is tender.
• When preparing this vegetable, keep in mind that just like spinach, even the chard yields very little once cooked.

I am sending this green chard to SWC: Greens and to FIC: Favourite.  SWC is started by Lakshmi of Taste of Mysore and FIC by Harini of Sunshinemom.  I am also sending to to Yasmeen’s Health Nut Challenge 4: Bitter Better Health.