During my time as a lil fella on the islands, I don’t ever recall seeing Kale being sold in the markets, nor anyone in my village growing it. Over the last few years, I’ve enjoyed the Kale Salad Recipe I shared back in 2018, as well as the Cantaloupe, Cucumber, and Kale smoothie on many occasions. This version of putting Kale to use follows the traditional way we’d use other ‘greens’ in the Caribbean.
You’ll Need…
1 1/2 lbs pork (cubed/washed)
3/4 tablespoon salt (adjust)
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 1/2 tablespoons Caribbean Green Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil (or your fav oil)
1 heaping tablespoon golden brown sugar
1 1/2 cups water (divided)
5 sprigs of thyme
4 cloves garlic (smashed)
1 large shallot (sliced)
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 Habanero pepper (sliced)
1 lb Kale (prepped)
10 grape tomatoes (cut in1/2)
Notes! Please follow along with the video below, as it contains additional information. Including how to tailor the heat level to your liking, how to use lime or lemon juice along with vinegar to wash the pork, and how I prepared the kale by removing the rib.
Cut the pork (use a less expensive cut with a bit of fat) into 1/2-inch pieces, wash, and drain. Season with curry, green seasoning, salt, black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix well and marinate for 2 hours.
Please refer to the video for this step. Heat the oil on med/high in a deep pot and add the sugar. The sugar will melt, go frothy, and then turn a deep amber color. Add the seasoned pork to the pot and stir well to coat the meat. Should the sugar go black, turn off the stove, allow the pot to cool completely, wash it, and start over. Swish 1 cup of water in the same bowl you used to marinate the pork to pick up any remaining marinade.
Add the water to the pot and bring it up to a boil. Add the onion, thyme, garlic, Habanero, and grated ginger. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 35 minutes. Add more water if necessary.
The goal is to cook the pieces of pork until somewhat tender. This is why I recommend cutting the pork at the start, into tiny pieces.
It’s now time to remove the sprigs of thyme and burn off any remaining liquid to develop a deep flavor and color. Turn up the heat and remove the lid to assist with this step.
Remove the ribs (discard or save for stock making) from the Kale, rinse with cool water, and rip the green parts into small pieces.
Add the Kale pieces to the pot and stir well.
Add the remaining water, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 25 minutes. Feel free to use coconut milk instead of the 1/2 cup of water we add at this point.
The pork and Kale should be tender at this point, so all that’s left to do is to burn off any remaining liquid, toss in the tomatoes, and then taste and adjust the salt to your liking.
Enjoy with hot Sada Roti, or steamed rice.
