Home & Birthday Delight

By Sheela Sheth,
Food Expert

Some of my favourite power foods are arugula, chard and collard. They produce a chemical called serotonin which is the body’s mood lifter supporting gut health.

My other favourite leafy greens are chickweed, dandelions, kale, lettuce, moringa, radish leaves, purslane and nettle. Here are a couple of my recipes for you from my kitchen to yours.

Swiss Chard Curry Ingredients

• 10 stalks of chard leaves (red and green)
• 1 cup red lentils or split chickpeas
• 1 onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 2 tomatoes
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1tsp chili powder (optional)1tsp mixed spice
• 2tbsp oil
• Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash and finely cut the chard leaves

2. Soak the lentils for 30 minutes

3. Finely cut the onions and tomatoes and then set aside

4. In a medium sized casserole, add onions to the warm oil until brown

5. Add the finely cut tomatoes and crushed garlic, turmeric, chili powder and salt

6. Once the greens shrivel, add the soaked lentils with 1 cup of water.

Add more water to suit your consistency. Lower the flame and let the mix cook until it becomes soft

7. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves

8. Serve hot with rice, pita bread or nan

Collard Green Rolls

Ingredients

• 15 collard green leaves
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• ½ cup rice flour
• 1 cup water
• 1tbsp tamarind paste
• 1tbsp sugar
• 1tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1tsp chilli powder
• 1tsp turmeric
• 1tsp carom seeds
• 1tbsp oil
• 1tsp baking soda Salt to taste

Directions

1. Wash the collard green leaves thoroughly and remove the stalks

2. Prepare a thick batter with chickpea flour, rice flour and all the other ingredients

3. Place a leaf or two upside down on a chopping board and placing and spread a thin layer of the batter with your hand

4. Roll the leaf tightly folding both sides gently and set aside until you roll all the leaves

5. Place them in a single layer steamer and cook for 15 minutes

6. Cut them into round pieces once cooled

7. Garnish with sesame and serve as an appetiser

Radish Greens Stir Fry

Ingredients

• 1 bunch red radish with greens
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• 1 onion
• 6 garlic cloves
• 1tbsp oil
• 1tsp lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Wash and cut the radish in circles and finely cut the leaves

2. Heat oil in a frying pan, add finely cut garlic cloves

3. Sauté finely cut onion for a minute

4. Add the radish and leaves together and toss to make a dry stir fry

5. Sprinkle with lemon juice and salt

6. Remove from fire and serve as a side

Reprinted with permission from Family Flavours magazine