Yum Approved: Sautéed Kale With An Asian Twist

For dinner tonight, we had chicken adobo, a traditional Filipino dish that is quick, easy, and specially meant for the tired-slash-lazy cook. The Filipino adobo is different from Mexican adobo, as we prepare it by cooking meat or vegetables with vinegar and soy sauce. I followed this recipe of chicken adobo from Panlasang Pinoy.

Traditionally, my family would pair a meaty dish like adobo with a side of vegetables, most of the time sautéed with garlic, onions, tomatoes, and fish sauce. If not cooked, we like our side of vegetables raw and tossed in bagoong.

I had a bunch of green leafy veggies to choose from in my fridge tonight, so I decided to use some of my fresh kale. I was craving my mom and grandma's traditional sautéed veggies, but didn't want the extra saltiness from the fish sauce, since the adobo was already drenched in soy sauce. I thought I could use sesame oil instead, and this was what I came up with...

I honestly don't know what to call it except yummy.

What you'll need to do:

• Thoroughly wash kale heads and pull out leaves from the stem. I used 4-5 stalks of big, leafy, abundant kale, and it was able to serve two people plus a little extra for lunch tomorrow. Remember that any green leafy veggie will eventually wilt when cooked, so be generous with your kale.
• Heat a little bit of vegetable oil in a pan. When I say a little bit, I mean just enough to help out the onions and tomatoes, which you will sautée once the oil is heated. Remember that we are also about to use sesame oil, so don't overdo it.
• When the onions are translucent and the tomatoes are soft, toss in your kale leaves. Drizzle sesame oil over your kale leaves. The amount depends on how much you like the wonderful flavor of sesame seeds.
• Sprinkle some garlic powder and your desired amount of chili flakes for an added kick.
• Cook until kale leaves are wilted. Salt and pepper to taste.
• Plate, and top with seaweed slivers.

Bon appétit!