I’ve seen versions of this recipe floating around online recently, from everywhere between Bon Appetit and The New York Times Cooking.  I’ve kept this recipe in the back of my mind as something to cook this winter when kale and greens become plentiful, and last night was finally the day to try this out.

While I don’t want to claim that I came up with this recipe, I have to praise it for its simplicity and amazing results.  It’s as easy as chopping up hearty greens, adding them to a big pot with a can of coconut milk and aromatics (ginger, garlic, scallions, lemon grass, chilis, turmeric, and herbs will all work here!), and bringing to a boil on the stove.  The result is a perfectly cooked pot of greens in about 20 minutes, with a built in, super flavorful sauce from the coconut milk and aromatics.  Added bonus: there is no need to pre-sauté the greens and no added oil to this dish, which makes this recipe that much easier.

I made this last night with my big bunch of kale that I got from my CSA this week, and served it over rice along with some salmon.  This is the perfect way to cook down a big bunch of greens, and I can’t wait to eat some leftovers for dinner tonight!

Recipe down below, photos up top and below!  This recipe makes a lot (enough for 4 generous servings), so it is great as a hearty side or for meal prep throughout the week.

Coconut Milk Braised Greens:

Ingredients:

• 1-2 big bunches of hearty greens
  • Greens that would work well here include kale, Swiss or rainbow chard, beet greens, turnip greens, broccoli rabe, mustard greens)
• 2 inch chunk of ginger, sliced
• 1 can of coconut milk

Method:

1. Thoroughly wash greens and shake off any excess water.  Chop the greens and stems into 1-inch pieces by rolling the greens into a loose cylinder and cutting across the leaves and stems cross-wise.  Place the chopped greens into a large pot or Dutch oven.
2. Add the whole can of coconut milk and chopped ginger to the pot with the greens.
   1. Any additional aromatics (garlic, scallions, lemon grass, chilis, turmeric, and herbs) that you might want to add should be added here!
3. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, remove the lid and stir.  Greens should be bright green and starting to become tender at this point.
4. Continue to cook the greens un-covered over medium heat for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  This will help the coconut milk to evaporate out slightly, creating a slightly thicker sauce for the greens while the greens finish cooking.
5. Check the greens for done-ness by tasting.  Greens should be fully tender when finished.  Once finished cooking, remove from the heat and serve.
6. Enjoy!

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