East African · lunch, dinner

Ndengu: Kenyan Green Gram Stew with Kale

Ndengu: Kenyan Green Gram Stew with Kale — from Chef D Wainaina's cooking video Watch how it’s made · 9:59

Video by Chef D Wainaina on YouTube · Open on YouTube

50 minServes 6412 kcal a serve
  • Vegan if you leave out the plain yoghurt
  • Vegetarian
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Dairy-free if you leave out the plain yoghurt
  • Nut-free

Contains: Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

Green grams, kale, carrots and peppers give each bowl about 16 g of fibre and 15 g of plant protein, plus plenty of folate and vitamin C. The coconut milk adds saturated fat, so light coconut milk is a good swap.

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Ingredients 28

Method

Tap a time to watch that step in the video.

  1. Rinse the green grams (or lentils) in cold water and leave them to soak while you prepare everything else. 1:31
  2. Heat the oil in a medium pot and cook the onion until soft. Add the garam masala, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, mixed herbs, garlic and ginger, season lightly and stir until fragrant. 2:38
  3. Add the tomato paste and toast it for a minute, then add the tomatoes and cook until they break down. Add the curry leaves, coriander stems, carrots, bell pepper and jalapeño, cover and cook for a few minutes. 3:43
  4. Drain the green grams and stir them in. Add the stock, enough water to cover and the vinegar. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. 5:16
  5. Fold in the kale with a splash of water, then stir in the coconut milk. Bring back to the boil and simmer until the grams are soft and the kale has wilted. Adjust salt and pepper. 6:32
  6. Finish with coriander and scallions. Serve with chapati or rice, topped with a spoon of yoghurt and a drizzle of olive oil if you like. 8:13

Tip. Serves about 6 (our estimate). The cook's small lentils soften in about 20 minutes; whole green grams need longer, so simmer them until tender before the kale goes in. Light coconut milk cuts the saturated fat.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 6

Energy412 kcal1,730 kJ
Protein16 g33% of a day
Fibre16 g58% of a day
Carbohydrate47 g31 g net · 10 g sugars17% of a day
Fat20 g9.4 g saturated26% of a day
Sodium640 mg28% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 34%
  • Protein 17%
  • Fat 49%

For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here

Lower-carb idea. About 63% of the 31 g of net carbs come from the mung beans. To cut carbs, try a smaller portion with extra leafy or other non-starchy vegetables.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin K High95%

114 µg a serve, mostly from kale (74%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin C High82%

74 mg a serve, mostly from bell peppers (43%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Folate High80%

318 µg a serve, mostly from mung beans (83%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Vitamin A High35%

313 µg a serve, mostly from carrots (58%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Omega-3 High33%

0.5 g a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (77%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Magnesium High31%

131 mg a serve, mostly from mung beans (61%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Iron High29%

5.2 mg a serve, mostly from mung beans (45%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Vitamin B6 High24%

0.4 mg a serve, mostly from mung beans (28%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Potassium High22%

1030 mg a serve, mostly from mung beans (43%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Zinc High20%

2.3 mg a serve, mostly from mung beans (59%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Vitamin E High20%

3.1 mg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (26%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Selenium Source15%

8.3 µg a serve, mostly from mung beans (50%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Calcium Source13%

163 mg a serve, mostly from mung beans (28%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

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Vitamin B125%

0.1 µg a serve, mostly from plain yoghurt (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Vitamin D0%

0 µg a serve. Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Chef D Wainaina; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.