This dish of rice with kale and chestnuts was born from the need to use up leftovers I had at home: some already cooked basmati rice, a bag of kale about to expire, and some vacuum-packed cooked chestnuts I got in Italy. But kale and chestnuts?
Indian spices are never missing in my house, especially turmeric. And here were all the ingredients available, but what would come out if I put them together? A tasty vegan recipe emerged: a delicious rice with kale, chestnuts, and turmeric. The kale is slightly bitter, the chestnuts are sweet, the turmeric gives a lot of color: a dish I recommend you try! Let’s see how to prepare it…
Some similar recipes:
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 3
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
Ingredients
- 16 oz Basmati rice, cooked (about 5 oz uncooked)
- 1.1 lbs kale (weighed after cleaning)
- 2 shallots
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil (2 measuring teaspoons)
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 4.6 oz boiled chestnuts (around 32 pieces)
- Points per serving = 7 WW points
Tools
- Pot
- Knife
- Colander
- Pan
- Wooden Spoon
Steps
First of all, if you use raw rice and chestnuts, you will need to cook them first. For the rice, just boil it in lightly salted water, then drain it well. For the raw chestnuts, wash them thoroughly, score them with a sharp knife, and boil them for about 45 minutes in plenty of salted water, adding a bay leaf if desired. The cooking time also depends on their size. At the end, let them cool and then remove both the outer shell and the skin covering them.
Clean the kale well by removing the central rib, cut it into pieces, and boil it for about ten minutes in a little salted water: it should be tender. Drain and set aside.
In a non-stick pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and sauté the chopped shallots. When they are slightly browned, add the kale, a little salt, and mix well. Let it flavor for a few minutes and then add the cooked rice. Add the turmeric and mix well to incorporate it: the rice will take on a nice yellow color.
Set aside a few whole chestnuts to decorate the dish, add all the other crumbled chestnuts, and the second teaspoon of oil. Give it a final stir to blend the different flavors.
Here it is, ready to be served at the table, decorated with the whole chestnuts, the rice with kale, chestnuts, and turmeric: tasty and beautiful to look at. I love the color the rice takes with the turmeric, just that makes a dish very appealing to my eyes.
But here it’s not just about the color: kale and chestnuts go really well together! After making this recipe, I looked around the internet and indeed found kale and chestnut soups, so the combination is not unknown. In short, try it, it’s delicious and really leaves you full and satisfied. I look forward to your comments below the recipe as always!
Enjoy your meal!
by Giovanna Buono
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can I use fresh chestnuts?
Of course, you can, and if you go and collect them yourself, even better! But keep in mind that having to clean and cook them will take about 1 more hour.
Can I use different vegetables?
Of course, you can: spinach or Swiss chard will be perfect and in that case, there will be no need to boil them beforehand, they will cook directly with the shallots, maybe adding a little water if they dry out too much!
What protein can I add for a complete meal?
The answer is simple: add some cooked chickpeas when you put the kale in the pan. Other legumes can also work well, but I usually add chickpeas. Don’t forget to count the extra WW points!
