EASIEST KALE SALAD

This post is for the beautiful free spirit from whom I learned this recipe and from whom I received the grace and shakti to create this blog. This preparation is made using only three ingredients and hence you are able to truly enjoy the raw bitter flavours of kale and the sweet heavy flavours of olive oil. It is always a bit difficult to include the bitter taste in your diet and kale offers a very healthy, convenient option. The method of preparation gives you an opportunity to truly become one with this super green leaf vegetable and to pour your love into it. Being a green leaf vegetable, kale has high contamination of pesticides and therefore should preferably be bought organic. And even better option is - growing at home if possible.

Kale from the garden:

It is a magical experience to see the interplay of forms when you grow your own vegetables. My house mate bought a worm farm a few months ago. We fed an old shirt to the worms. The worms ate it and provided us with compost and 'worm tea'. We used some of this compost and worm tea to grow the vegetables in the garden which we would consume eventually. Essentially, some element of that shirt will become a part of my body. I will go on for a few years, die and eventually return to the Earth. May be to nourish the soil for the purpose of growing cotton to be used for making shirts. How beautiful is the leela of consciousness and form, Shiva and Shakti. I wonder if every atom (or quark?) carries the memory of its experiences?

General health information: Kale is high in Vitamin K and antioxidants which helps reduce the risk of cancer, is high in Vitamin A which is good for your vision and skin and is high also in Vitamin C which boosts your immune system. It is low in calories, lowers cholesterol levels, has zero fat and its high fibre content is good for elimination. Kale is also very high in iron and calcium and is detoxifying, cleansing and anti-inflammatory.

Kale has achieved a 'celebrity' status and is especially popular among the yuppie health fanatics who rave about their kale smoothies and kale salads. My opinion – don't consume kale in excess, just like anything else. It is a very healthy, green leaf vegetable but it is not the only one. I have had a dozen other green leaf vegetables and did not even know kale existed when I lived in India. So, eat kale, but don't overdo it – just like anything else.

Ayurvedic information:

Dosha information:
Kale: V↑P↓K↓

Olive Oil: V↓P↓K↑

Lemon: V↓P↑K↓

Rasa (primary tastes): Bitter, Astringent, Sweet, Sour

Virya: Cooling

Vipaka (post digestive effect): Pungent and Sweet

Kale is dark green and bitter with high Vata, olive oil is heavy, sweet and oily with high Kapha and lemon is sour and sharp with high Pitta. So, these three ingredients balance each other nicely. Kale grows well mainly in winter and spring. This preparation is more suitable in spring. In winter, Vata is strong and hence it is not advisable for Vatas and Kaphas to eat raw kale in winter. But if you have a strong desire to eat raw kale in winter, make sure you eat it at noon when agni is the strongest. Preferably use tender leaves of kale and chop these into smaller pieces to aid digestion. Maybe, have a spice tea between breakfast and lunch to kindle the agni. And don't forget the lemon which will also help in digestion.

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Type: Main course

Serves: 2

Vegan: Yes

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale

6 tbsp olive oil

1 lemon

Preparation:

1. Shear the leaves of kale from the stalks using a knife and become aware of the sound the knife makes as it runs through the leaf. The stalks are not used in this preparation and I usually compost them. But apparently, the stalks are very high in nutritional value and many people store them for later. You can steam them and garnish with salt and pepper.
2. Put all the sheared leaves in a wide bowl and pour the olive oil on it generously without any hesitation whatsoever. Ever seen the Turkish oil wrestlers? Did you notice how generously they pour the olive oil on their bodies? Just like that, pour the olive oil over the sheared kale leaves.
3. Now close your eyes and begin the sadhana of giving a deep tissue massage to the kale. It should be very deep to ensure that every single bit of kale is covered in oil. Soon the kale will emit a wonderful raw earthy scent. Inhale it and enjoy this experience. Feel the olive oil and the kale against your palms as you massage it thoroughly. Continue this for at least 15 minutes. At the end of it, a bowl full of kale will be reduced to almost a third of its size.
4. Squeeze fresh lemon juice for taste and enjoy!

Notes:

1. Once you are done massaging the kale, you would want to wash your hands to get the oil off your hands. After I am done with the preparation, I usually keep rubbing it on my palms and the back of my hands till the skin absorbs most of the oil. And when the skin is not absorbing any more oil, I wash my hands. This way you can avoid waste and at the same time keep your skin healthy and glowing.
2. Please refer my post Getting Started With Ayurveda for understanding of Ayurvedic terms and concepts.