Kale Shorba with Raita

Everyone loves a pretty meal. You know, something that looks fancy and well put-together and colorful. Well, looks aren't everything. Take this soup, for example. It's basically the most disgusting color a food could be, and yet it's totally delicious. Surprise! Also, it's a great way to get more leafy greens into your diet - kale is one of the healthiest foods on the planet, since it's loaded with vitamins, iron, calcium, and beta carotene.

You may be thinking, what the heck is a shorba? Basically, it's just soup. Wikipedia tells me that shorba/chorba/ciorba/shurpa/etc. is "one of various kinds of soup or stew found in national cuisines across Eurasia." This version is distinctly Indian, with lots of aromatic spices and a cooling cucumber raita balancing everything out. It's great with some crusty bread or naan on the side.

Kale Shorba with Cucumber Raita Swirl
From Vegetarian Times

• 1 tablespoon canola oil or butter
• 8-ounce bunch kale, stems removed, leaves and stems chopped separately
• 1 medium potato, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons peeled and sliced fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 3/4 cup tomato puree
• 1 cup fat-free Greek yogurt or non-dairy plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

To make shorba: Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add kale stems, potato, ginger, garlic, jalapenos, coriander, and turmeric, and saute 2 minutes. Add broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Simmer 10 minutes, then add kale leaves. Cover, and simmer 20 minutes more, or until potatoes and kale are tender. Stir in tomato puree, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Blend mixture in batches in blender until smooth.

To make raita: Stir together yogurt, cucumber, cumin, and salt in a bowl. Swirl a few tablespoons of the raita into each bowl of shorba.