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1 (12-ounce can) crushed tomatoes

2 pounds kale, coarse stems removed, chopped finely

1 (28-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Pour 1 teaspoon of the oil into the pot and use a spatula to coat the bottom. Add the mustard seeds. Cover the pot and let the seeds pop for about a minute, or until the popping slows down, mixing once. If the seeds don’t pop, turn up the heat a bit until they do. Add the other teaspoon of oil and sauté the onion for 4 to 7 minutes, until translucent. Use a little nonstick cooking spray if needed. Add the garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes, and saute for another minute. Add the tomatoes and mix to deglaze the pot. Let cook for about 3 minutes, then add the curry, cumin, coriander, garam masala, and salt, and mix well.

NOTE

I remember when it cost $1.50 for the chickpeas, a side of rice, and a piece of naan bread. Even in the ’80s that was quite a deal! We would wrap everything up in the naan so we could walk down the street with it, because in Brooklyn, you walk down the street eating (see Saturday Night Fever opening sequence). You can use a whole wheat wrap for roughly the same effect.

Add the kale in batches, mixing well after each addition. It may seem like way too much, but it will cook down. Cover the pot, let simmer for a minute, lift the lid, and stir. After doing this three times or so, the kale should be well cooked down. Simmer and cook covered for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The greens should be very tender.

Add the chickpeas and cook for another 5 minutes or so. Taste for salt and serve.

Variation

If you like Saag Paneer (paneer being a firm, cubed cheese), then try this dish with tofu instead. Use the dry-fry method for cubed tofu (see the Hoison-Mustard Tofu recipe, page 153), and add it in place of the chickpeas.

NUTRITION TIP

Kale is not known for its fat content—a 1-ounce serving has 0.4 grams, which is rounded down to zero. But when eaten in large portions, this adds up—in a good way! Kale is a source of omega-3 fatty acids and its omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is fantastic, up there with flaxseeds. When one eats many servings a week of such dark leafy greens as kale, it can be considered a good source of omega-3.

Eggplant—Chiekpea Curry

SERVES 6 •ACTIVE TIME: 20 MINUTES • TOTAL TIME: 1½ HOURS

PER SERVING

(⅙ RECIPE):

Calories: 180

Calories from fat: 20

Total fat: 2.5 g

Saturated fat: 0 g

Trans fat: 0 g

Total carb: 34 g

Fiber: 12 g

Sugars: 10 g

Protein: 9 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 105 mg

Vitamin A: 15%

Vitamin C: 25%

Calcium: 8%

Iron: 15%

This well-cooked eggplant is so rich, silky, and full bodied that you will never guess that it has only a teaspoon of oil. In fact, don’t tell anyone, because with each flavorful forkful they’ll believe you less and less until they never trust you again.

In this dish I’ve made use of the old standby, curry powder, as well as garam masala, which has an aromatic blend of coriander, clove, and cardamom. The cooking time is a bit long, but the dish is pretty easy, so even if you’ve never cooked eggplant before don’t be intimidated; this recipe would make a great introduction. I’ve always noticed that eggplant will be super stubborn at first and then suddenly and rapidly decide to comply, so if your eggplant hasn’t broken down in 20 minutes or so, up the heat a bit and check again soon. Serve over brown jasmine or basmati rice, or try the Cranberry-Cashew Biryani (page 67).

1 teaspoon oil

1 small white onion, chopped finely

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional, use if you like it spicy)

1 pound tomatoes, chopped roughly (3 average-size; about

2 cups)

2 pounds eggplant, cut into ¾-inch cubes

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons mild curry powder

2 teaspoons garam masala

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 cup vegetable broth

1 (15-ounce can) chickpeas, drained and rinsed (about 1½ cups)

Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium