This is a recipe that my ex-boyfriend learned from his parents, who learned it while they were in the Peace Corps in Kenya. He never gave this dish a name, but based on some quick research I can guess this is a simple variation of Sukuma Wiki. It goes well with fish and rice or polenta (which we were making, I assume, as an approximation of ugali) and was something I made often when I had a garden with abundant kale and tomatoes.

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You start with a generous tablespoon (enough to coat the entire bottom of a large pot) of vegetable oil* (something with a fairly high smoke point– coconut oil doesn’t work) and cook a chopped onion* until it starts to brown. Then add the equivalent of one large tomato (I used three smallish ones) and about half a teaspoon of salt*, then fill the pot to the top with chopped kale. Normally I would remove the stems, but since this kale is already chopped with the stems on, I left them in. Cover and cook on medium-low, stirring occasionally, until the kale is soft. If you want to use more kale, wait for it to cook down then fill the pot again. If it is bitter, add more salt.

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And that’s it. There will be some liquid in the bottom of the pot: don’t strain it out. The liquid is flavorful and will soak into whatever you serve with it.

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*store-bought items