Our sampling of the glorious greens from last week’s Food Day event. (I went in for more later.)
And can I get an amen?
This holy manna makes an appearance just about every day (although sometimes in different forms, depending on what greens are available) at The Root Café in Little Rock. Even if you don’t think you like greens, you’ll probably dig these.
People dug them pretty hard at the 2012 Arkansas Cornbread Festival, where this recipe won “Best Side Dish.” And to our knowledge, the recipe hasn’t been published anywhere…until now.
Root Café owner and chef Jack Sundell prepares the restaurant’s Coconut Curry Collard Greens with Dr. Meenakshi Budhraja.
Root Café owner and chef Jack Sundell served as a panelist on last week’s Food Day event at Pulaski Tech’s Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management Institute, giving insight on how restaurateurs can commit to using local ingredients. (Hint: It takes a lot of planning and networking.) After the panel, Sundell made this recipe for the audience, which included culinary students, middle schoolers from Conway, and members of the local food community.
Hope you enjoy as much as we did!
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The Root Café’s Coconut Curry Collard Greens
Serves 4-6
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup minced onion
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- 1 tsp. best quality curry powder
- 2 pounds collard greens or kale, washed and stemmed (should give you about 1 1/2 pounds ready to use)
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 tsp. salt and more to taste
- Pepper to taste
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. fresh squeezed lime juice
Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Sweat onions with salt until softening, about 5 minutes. Add curry powder and cook one minute, then add garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant.
Add half the greens, lower the heat a little bit, and stir occasionally until the greens have mostly wilted. Add rest of greens, coconut milk, stock, and 1 tsp. salt, cover pot, and reduce heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until greens are tender, 25 – 30 minutes. Avoid over stirring.
Remove lid and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until most liquid has evaporated and broth has thickened, about 5 minutes. Watch carefully as not to scorch the greens. Remove pot from heat, stir in one tablespoon each olive oil and lime juice, and season to taste with salt and pepper.