Broccoli, Kale and Shitake Mushroom Stir Fry

     A few days ago while at the mall I walked by a Panda Express and saw a sign that said, "New! Shitake, Kale, Chicken Breast". It was that simple power of suggestion that inspired my dinner tonight. The combination of kale and shitake mushroom just sounded good. So on the way home I stopped at our California Mart grocery store to buy shitake mushrooms and Korean kale. I had some broccoli at home and thought that would be a nice addition. Korean kale is a flat leaf kale that has a nice delicate flavor. If you don't have flat leaf kale then another kale can be substituted in this recipe.

Broccoli, Kale and Shitake Mushroom Stir Fry
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. fresh shitake mushrooms
3 cups broccoli florets
2 cups kale, center stem removed and cut or torn in 2" pieces
1 T. grapeseed oil
1/4 - 1/2 cup water
Toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

1 Basic Asian Stir Fry Sauce recipe- mix ingredients but do not cook

Directions:

1. Prepare shitake mushrooms- wash and dry them. Cut off any tough ends to the stems or completely remove the stems. Slice thinly.

2. In a large skillet or wok (with a lid), heat the pan on medium high heat. Add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the shitake mushrooms and stir fry for about 3 minutes.

3. Add the broccoli. Stir to mix with the mushroom then add about 1/4 cup of water and cover with a lid. Allow the broccoli to steam a few minutes.

4. Add the kale and a little more water if needed. Stir to combine then put the lid back on. After a minuter or two remove the lid and check the vegetables. The broccoli flower should be tender and the stem a little crisp, kale should be wilted.

5. Stir the Basic Stir Fry Sauce, then add it to the pan. The sauce will change from cloudy to translucent pretty quick. Stir for about 1 minute until the sauce thickens into a gravy. Remove pan from the heat and transfer to a serving dish.

Serve with rice as a vegetable side dish or add firm tofu cubes, chickpeas or shelled edemane when you add the kale for a complete meal.