Haak-Kashmiri Style Collard Greens

A way of cooking collard greens from the Kashmir region of India.Spicy and strongly flavored by the mustard oil and asafetida .Please make sure to wash the greens very thoroughly as a lot of dirt and grit can be hiding in the creases-not to mention bugs!From World of the East Vegetarian Cooking by Madhur Jaffrey.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 4-6
• Yields: 2 cups

Ingredients

• 1 3⁄4 lbs  tender young  collard greens, thoroughly soaked, washed, and dried
• 1⁄2 cup  mustard oil
• 1⁄4 teaspoon asafoetida powder (only a pinch!)
• 1 1⁄4 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 5  small  dried red chilies (Indian,or you may use chile arbol)
• 5  fresh green chilies (Indian,or use serranos)
• 3 1⁄2 cups water

Directions

1. Wash the greens!Pat them dry and chop then coarsely.If you want a spicier dish, slice the chiles;if you would like a milder dish leave the dried chiles whole and split the fresh chiles down the middle lengthwise,leaving them intact by the stem end.
2. Heat the oil over medium heat;add asafetida and when it sizzles for 5 seconds add greens.Cover the pot for 10 seconds to wilt the greens.Remove cover,add salt and saute for 1 minute.Add chiles and water,cover,lower heat and simmer 1 hour.Serve hot.