(serves 8)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
A little vegetable oil
1 heaped teaspoon medium curry powder
25g grated fresh ginger
2 green chillies, or 1 red, finely chopped
Salt and black pepper
250g chickpeas, soaked overnight and cooked or 2 x 400g tins
400ml tin of coconut milk
250g button mushrooms, halved
Juice of 1 lime
2 lemon grass sticks
15 medium cavolo nero leaves
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Thai fish sauce
Large bunch of coriander
Fry the onion and garlic gently in the oil until soft. Add the curry powder, fresh ginger, chilli, salt and pepper, and stir. Next, add the cooked chickpeas, coconut milk, mushrooms, lime juice, and lemon grass sticks, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the stems from the kale and chop the leaves into strips. Steam them for 5 minutes and then add them into the chickpea mixture. Add the soy and fish sauces. Scatter with coarsely chopped coriander. This is best served warm, when all the flavours seem to sing out.