Braised Kashmiri Greens

ingredients

• 5 pounds braising greens
• 4 1/2 teaspoons canola oil or olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon plus 1 dash asafoetida
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
• 3 large shallots, sliced
• 3/4 cup julienne strips peeled ginger
• 1 1/2 small dried red chiles, broken in half
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

directions

Discard the tough stems from the greens. Chop the tender stems and set aside, then roughly chop the leaves.

Heat the oil in a large, wide pot over moderately high heat until it shimmers, and add the asafoetida and cumin seeds. Cook, stirring, until the spices are fragrant, about 1.5 minutes. Add the shallots, ginger, and chile, and cook, stirring, until the shallots are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the stems of the greens and salt to taste, then cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the greens and cook, tossing occasionally with tongs, until just tender, about 20 minutes. Discard the chile and season with salt and pepper to taste.

note: If you want a spicier dish, break the chile into smaller pieces.