Kale Muthiya | Kale Dumpling Rolls

It is officially Spring and I am loving the colorful vegetables in the market. It is a delight to enjoy the summer vegetables before summer starts heating up everything. To kick off spring cooking, I decided to start with Kale. Kale is very high in beta carotene, vitamin K, vitamin C, and rich in calcium. Kale is a source of two carotenoids, luteinand zeaxanthin. Kale, as with broccoli and other brassicas, contains sulforaphane (particularly when chopped or minced), a chemical with potent anti-cancer properties. Boiling decreases the level of sulforaphane; however, steaming, microwaving, or stir frying does not result in significant loss. Who doesn't know all this?? It is directly picked up from Wikipedia 😉

So, apart from the obvious benefits of kale, I decided to use it in this dish to get a different flavor in the traditional Muthiya. Generally people prefer to use bottle gourd or fenugreek leaves or radish in this snack. But I had a big bunch of kale beaming at me every time I opened the refrigerator and I thought this recipe would be the best way to finish the bunch all at once. What emerged was a very tasty and flavorful dish and we loved it. 

As you have read above, kale is best consumed when boiled and I did the same. Season kale with indian spices and steam these rolls. Enjoy them hot with a tablespoon of oil drizzled on them or cool them and temper them. They taste amazing both ways!!

Ingredients

Whole wheat flour 2 cups

Kale leaves 1 bunch

Ginger Chilli Garlic Paste 2 tbsp

Spices: Red Chilli powder, Turmeric Powder, Asafoetida, Carrom seeds 

Salt, Sugar, Lime Juice

Yogurt ½ cup

Oil and water to knead the dough

For the tempering

Oil

Mustard seeds, Cumin seeds, sesame seeds

Green Chilli

Curry leaves

Cilantro

Method 

Wash and finely chop the kale leaves. Discard the thick stems from the leaves. Sprinkle salt on the chopped leaves and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Squeeze out all the water from kale after ten minutes and reserve the water. Add the ginger garlic and chilli paste to the kale and mix well. Add sugar, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, carrom seeds, lime juice, yogurt, oil and mix well. Next, mix in the flour and make a firm dough. If water is required, add it from the amount kept reserved from the squeezed kale. Adjust the salt as required.

Line a steamer dish with oil and place it in the steamer with water below it. Heat the steamer till the water just start boiling. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and roll it into a cylindrical shape with your palms. Apply oil on the palms if the dough sticks. Place these muthiyas in the steamer leaving some space between them to allow expansion on steaming. In case you do not have a steamer, heat water in a large vessel like a pressure cooker and place a sieve on it. 

Steam the muthiya for 20-22 minutes, on medium flame. Ensure the whistle is not used to steam them, incase you are using a pressure cooker. Open the steamer and check with an inserted toothpick if the muthiya is cooked. Remove from flame and let them cool. It is very important for them to cool completely before cutting it into pieces. 

Once cool, divide each piece into smaller sections and set aside. In a large wok, heat oil. Add mustard seeds and let them splutter. Next add the green chilli, curry leaves and sesame seeds. Once it all splutters, add the muthiya pieces and mix well. Let the muthiya brown a little bit before turning down the flame. Top with cilantro and serve with chutney and Masala Chai.

Want to try a different flavor of muthia? Try these bottle gourd or dudhi muthiyas.