Rainbow Chard

I didn’t know this until I started blogging this recipe – Chard, sometimes called Swiss chard or rainbow chard (when it sports brightly colored stalks), really is a relative of the beet. The similarities end there. Traditional beets put their energy into producing finger-staining roots. Chard, on the other hand, produces big, tender leaves and crunchy stalks.

Rainbow chard harvest

I grow these beauties in the winter in my backyard and use it as a substitute for greens in several Indian dishes and throw a handful in soups as well. They do well in salads too, so long as you relish the slightly bitter taste – similar to kale and arugula.

Rainbow chard is irresistible, the colors are unlike any other vegetable, they’re almost unbelievable. You must’ve surely spotted them in your local Farmer’s Markets or in grocery stores. I so love those colored stalks – bright yellow-golds, orange and red with red veins running up into the leaves. I just love staring at Mother Nature’s miracles in little things. How about you?

Are the Chard Stems Edible?

A lot of people think they have to discard the stems!!! Nooooo…the stems are delicious and crunchy – eat them every day and you’ll live to be a hundred. LOL! This has not a proven fact, but with so much research going on…who knows…I may be right. 🙂 That said, you better believe it, rainbow chard isn’t just pretty; like all dark leafy greens it’s a super food exploding with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and fiber. It’s fat free, and very low in calories.

No matter how you cook rainbow chard, remember that it has some red chard in it and will “bleed” red when cooked, tinging adjacent foods a lovely shade of pink. For the evenest cooking, remove the colored ribs/stems from the leaves, then chop the stems and start cooking them before you add the leaves. Rainbow Chard when combined with onions, black pepper and garam masala, uses aromatics and spices to tame the sometimes bitter or metallic edge of chard.

Now, about the other protagonist in this recipe: Red Lentils. Known as masoor dal in North India, this is one of the easiest dals to cook on the stove top. Other lentils/dals like toor dal (pigeon peas) need to be soaked and pressured cooked. These lovely red lentils don’t need much coaxing to cook.

Recipe Variations

This recipe has a bit of North India (red masoor dal, garam masala combo), a bit of South India (tangy tamarind!), and a bit of a local flavor (what else but rainbow chard). Want to get a little more creative and adventurous? Then try adding some minced garlic and grated ginger along with the onions to take this dish’s nutrition and taste by a few more notches. Not only do these two foods add incredible flavor and aroma to dishes, they can be used either as regular health boosters or as instant remedies to help relieve a wide variety of conditions, including inflammation. Want to make it a little more closer home to South India? Replace garam masala with sambar powder or rasam powder. Go to town with ideas, people!

When the skies are drab, and life feels a little gray and chilly, I am absurdly cheered by the fresh brightness of this vibrantly orange dal. When this red lentil is stewed and spiced with turmeric, tamarind and garam masala, and colored with rainbow chard and tomatoes, it is totally heartening. Just seeing that mixture in the pan lifts my spirits. It helps that a dal is simple to make: a bit of chopping and the stew all but cooks itself. And it can be made in advance and then reheated, always a bonus. This dal makes a wonderful, exuberant partner in this wonderful recipe.

Dal Recipes

If you love lentils/greens/veggies and balance of simplicity and taste, check out a few other recipes on our website:

• Tomato Fenugreek Dal
• Mixed Greens Dal
• Tomato Dal
• Instant Pot Moringa Leaf Dal
• Cabbage Kootu
• Raw Mango Dal
• Bisi Bele Baath
• Sambar
• Opo Squash Yellow Mung Curry
• Blended Chickpeas & Cluster Bean Curry
• Yellow Mung Raw Onion Chutney

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Rainbow Chard Red Lentil Stew

Rainbow chard and Red Lentils (Masoor Dal) pair up with onions, tomatoes and a variety of spices to bring you this wonderful stew that is bursting with flavor.

Course Main Course, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine Indian, International

Keyword chard, Lentils, rainbow chard, Soup, Spices, stew, swiss chard

Special Diet Gluten Free, Grain Free, No Added Sugar, Nut Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 4 People

Calories 229kcal

Equipment

• Lodge Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Kitchen Knife
• Bamboo Cutting Board

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Red Lentils - Masoor Dal
• 1/2 Cup Onion - Red, Finely chopped
• 1/2 Cup Tomato - Finely chopped
• 3 Cups Rainbow Chard
• 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil
• 1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds
• 1/2 Tablespoon Cumin Seeds
• 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 1/4 Teaspoon Garam Masala - Powder (Optionally, use cayanne powder)
• 1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt - Or to taste
• 1/8 Teaspoon Black Pepper - Freshly ground
• 2 Tablespoon Tamarind - Fresh. If using tamarind concentrate/paste, use 1/2 teaspoon

Instructions

• Wash red lentils thoroughly until the water runs clear and soak them in water for 1 hour (soaking is optional). If cooking on the stove top, cover with enough water, cover with lid and cook for 20 minutes. If using a pressure cooker or the Instant Pot, cook the lentils until they turn mushy. Set aside.
  
• Wash rainbow chard well. Separate the stems of the chard from the leaves. Cut the leaves into thin strips. Thinly slice the stems.
  
• Wash and soak tamarind in water for 5 minutes. Crush the tamarind with your fingers to release the juices. Discard the pulp and save the water.
  
• In a thick bottom pan, heat coconut oil. Splutter mustard and cumin seeds. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until onions are translucent.
  
• Add the rainbow chard stalks and sauté for 2-3 minutes, until they are slightly tender but crunchy.
  
• Add the cooked lentils, salt, turmeric, freshly ground black pepper powder, tamarind juice, garam masala powder and chopped tomatoes. Mix well. Add water if the consistency is too thick. Cover, and on a medium flame, bring to a boil, while mixing well once in a while.
  
• Stir in the shredded chard leaves, cover, and cook 2 minutes over medium-low heat. Stir, re-cover, and continue cooking until the chard is tender (about 2 minutes).
  
• Serve hot!
  

Notes

This easy stew comes together quickly from a handful of ingredients and yet it's insanely flavorful and satisfying. Perfect for a meatless Monday. Eat this by itself as a meal unto itself at lunch time, or as a side at dinner. Eat it with bread, or naan or even whole grains. It pairs well with just about anything!

*Use organic ingredients wherever possible

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts

Rainbow Chard Red Lentil Stew

Amount per Serving

Calories

229

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

4

g

6

%

Cholesterol

 

0

mg

0

%

Sodium

 

210

mg

9

%

Potassium

 

547

mg

16

%

Carbohydrates

 

37

g

12

%

Fiber

 

7

g

29

%

Sugar

 

4

g

4

%

Protein

 

13

g

26

%

Vitamin A

 

500

IU

10

%

Vitamin C

 

12.4

mg

15

%

Calcium

 

50

mg

5

%

Iron

 

4.5

mg

25

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.