Garlic-Ginger Shrimp with Kale

Another installment from the "Looks Fancy But It Isn't File..."  Today I made garlicky, gingery shrimp with kale and red pepper.

MMMMmmmm...

I have to confess.  This came together totally by accident, like many of my things do.  I'm always watching my produce to see what is needing to be used ((a quarter of my counter and three shelves in the fridge are full of produce-- thankfully I have two refrigerators.))  Today, that was the kale.

What you need for two servings:
-10 medium sized raw shrimp
-5-6 tablespoons of reduced sodium or light soy sauce
-1 clove of minced garlic
-1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder OR preferably, fresh ginger
-Red pepper flakes
-4 cups of kale, de-veined
-1/2 cup of red bell pepper, chopped
-Rice to serve it over ((I used long grain and wild rice))

What you do:

Start by marinating the shrimp.  Combine a couple of tablespoons of low-sodium soy sauce, 1/2 a teaspoon of minced garlic, a dash of red pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon ((ish)) of ginger powder in a small bowl.  ((I didn't have fresh ginger or I would have used that.  Make me proud and use the real stuff.))  Throw in the shrimp and let them soak up the juices while you prep everything else.

Raw shrimp.  Not photogenic.

Chop up roughly a 1/2 cup of red bell pepper and 2 cups of kale.  Don't be afraid of kale!  It just looks like something your seven-year-old self would hate!  Your seven-year-old self has been wrong about lots of things.  ((Exhibit A:  Boys are gross.  Oh wait.  They are kind of.  Moving on.))  Be sure to de-vein the kale.  That's just fancy-talk for "cut the white stem-looking-thing out of the middle of the leaf."

Throw the shrimp and the marinade in a pre-heated saute pan over medium-high heat.  Cook the shrimp until they are no longer translucent, about 3-4 minutes.  The soy sauce mixture will get kind of black on the bottom of the pan.  This is a good thing, it is the soy sauce caramelizing and you earning extra delicious points without trying.    

Shrimpies, not translucent, with free delicious points.  

Remove the shrimp to a separate plate ((not that earlier bowl, no cross-contamination)) and set aside.  Throw the chopped red pepper and another 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic ((and hopefully your fresh ginger because you prepared ahead, unlike me)) into the same pan.  Swoosh that around, scraping up some of the brown stuff on the bottom, until the red pepper begins to soften and the garlic looks golden-brown and the whole mess smells like heaven.  Add the chopped kale and a splash of water from your Aquafina bottle ((that's what I did, just being honest, maybe two tablespoons)) into the pan, cover and allow to steam for about 2 minutes. Kale cooks quickly.  You want it to just get wilt-y and bright green.

The light in my kitchen leaves something to be desired.

Throw the shrimp back in the pan with the kale,  add approximately 2 tablespoons of soy sauce and another dash of ginger powder.  Get it good and hot.

So happy together.

Done!

So pretty.

Serve on a bed of long grain and wild rice.

Nutritional info:  Saint status.  Approximately 300 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving.

Happy cooking!  Jules