KALE MELLUN

KALE MELLUN

Every thing about KALE MELLUN | Vahrehvah :

Kale Mellun is a traditional simple and humble Sri Lanka recipe for a classic accompaniment of shredded kale that is steamed and finished with onion, shredded onion and powdered saffron. This is attractive and delicious dish also known as Shredded kale with coconut. Kale Mellun is a dry curry, mild to taste, a natural earthy combination of kale, coconut and saffron.

You can also add few peppers in for added heat and spice. Kale is a powerhouse of super and nutritious food. It is full of beta carotene, vitamin K and C, lutein, antioxidants and rich in calcium. This Kale side dish is cooked with five simple ingredients and is steamed rather than boiled or fried in oil.

Kale mellun taste excellently good with rice and curry meals. The wonderful thing about Kale is once you steam it; you can put it in a freezer safe bag and freeze it for another meal.  So if you have extras, freeze away. 

When you want to use your frozen Kale, just defrost in the microwave or allow thawing on the counter. Kale is very versatile and nutritious green leafy vegetable and is widely recognized as an incredibly nutritious vegetable since ancient Greek and Roman times for its low fat, no cholesterol but health benefiting anti-oxidant properties.

It is widely cultivated across Europe, Japan and the United States for its wonderful ‘frilly’ leaves. Kale or borecole is rich in numerous health benefiting polyphenolic flavonoid compounds such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-carotene, and vitamins than found in any other green leafy vegetables.

This plant belongs to the “cabbage” (brassica) family, has similar in growth and appearance to collard greens. Botanically, borecole belongs to Brassica oleracea (acephala group) and is closely related to broccoli, cauliflower,  brussels sprouts etc. Its succulent, curly leaves appear “rosette” like and may have dark green to blue-green color depending on the cultivar type.

 It is grown mainly for autumn and winter harvest, because cool weather further enhances its sweet taste quality. Sri Lankan food is full of spices and exciting to the taste buds. It is a culinary delight for sampling amazing dishes! Mellun or Mallung or Mallum is a Sinhalese word which means ‘mix up’ and is usually applied to the leafy green preparations with everything chopped finely and mixed over heat.

This dish is an accompaniment to rice. There are many versions of cooking this dish. Traditionally it is a combination of shredded greens, onion, chilli, Maldive fish and coconut. "Mallum is usually shredded vegetables cooked with spices and grated coconut. Generally cabbage is commonly used to make mallum, but Sinhalese also use jackfruit, breadfruit, ash plaintain and unripe papaya."

A Sri Lankan meal is simple and nutritious consisting of a plate of rice, Sri Lankan dal, any vegetable curry and a choice of fish curry as well. Sri Lankan food is popular for its variety of curries. Jackfruit curry is one of the most popular dishes. Though Sri Lankan food has parallels to South Indian food, it remains distinctly its own form of cuisine. Throughout years of colonization and influence from other countries, Sri Lanka has adapted its food culture into a blend of different curry concoctions and dishes.

Sri Lankan love spices, they love food that explodes with flavor, and they enjoy deep fried snacks! Besides being an island with a tropical climate, coconuts and fish are two of the most influential elements of Sri Lankan cuisine. Fish is made into curries and coconut in some form or another is included in nearly all dishes.

To prepare this excellent greens leafy salad, firstly put the chopped kale into a saucepan and sprinkle a tablespoon of water. Add onions, salt and allow cooking on low fire. Mix coconut with saffron powder and mix well. Cook until the greens are done and serve.

This is not a dish that be eaten on it's own, hence you definitely have to pair Kale Mellun with rice, lentils and other vegetable or meat curries.  Enjoy the dish and enjoy its health benefits.

Enjoy Cooking!