>Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are adapted from Floyd Cardoz's book, One Spice, Two Spice. The dish is also part of a special menu Chef Cardoz created for Epicurious's Wine.Dine.Donate program.
I first visited Kashmir, up in the mountains of northern India, when I was in my late teens, and the food made a huge impression. Although the cuisine is most famous for its meat dishes and Persian-inspired rice pilafs, the treatment of greens is exceptional as well. In Kashmir, this dish is made with kohlrabi greens in season, but it is equally delicious when made with any hearty braising greens such as collards, chard (the colored varieties are very pretty), mustard greens, and/or turnip greens. Bok choy and pea shoots are good additions to the mix.
If you want a spicier dish, break the chile into smaller pieces.
Recipe information
Yield
Makes 8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Discard the tough stems from the greens. Chop the tender stems and set aside, then roughly chop the leaves.
Step 2
Heat the oil in a large, wide pot over moderately high heat until it shimmers, and add the asafetida and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring, until the spices are fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Add the shallots, ginger, and chile, and cook, stirring, until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the stems of the greens and salt to taste, then cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the greens and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until just tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the chile and season with salt and pepper to taste.
