Coconut Braised Collard Greens
Photo: Ajna Jai / Contributor
Collard greens, a staple of the south, have been cultivated for thousands of years throughout the world from Africa to Brazil all the way to the Kashmir valley. Not common in the rest of India, my first encounter with them in India was during a trip to Kashmir around 5 years ago. They were cooked long and slow in ghee and warm spices. Here in the south, they are usually cooked with some sort of meat or meat stock. However, there are ways to add flavor without the meat, like with coconut milk, a nut butter like almond or cashew butter or ginger in plentiful.
The season for these greens here in Texas is right now so I am exploring other ways to enjoy this hearty green. Being in the brassica family, they have the phytonutrients and fiber we all need. Braised in coconut oil and coconut milk gives them a touch of slight sweetness that balances the bitterness in the greens. Add a dash of lime for contrast and you have hearty plant-based greens that are rich and deeply flavorful.