This past Christmas, my mom gifted me the book Nom Nom Paleo. To be 100% transparent, it sat on my shelf dutifully for a few months until I cracked it open and OMG I’VE BEEN COOKING EVERYTHING IN THERE! From aoli, to chicken wings, to the most amazing pork I’ve ever made, and now this beautiful creation. I honestly can’t get enough. Head on over to her blog for some great recipes.
You also may recognize my beautiful friend Megan from the winter gathering. She was the brains and braun behind the green beans and the molten chocolate cake that we hastily consumed in this post. Megan is the Food system coordinator for Re:Vision, a Denver non-profit committed to working with residents in neighborhoods to eliminate food deserts, train leaders, and strengthen community ownership. Re:Vision works with over 300 backyard garden families, has a CSA and buying club program and is opening a community owned food hub / co-op. AKA it’s the shit.
On to green beans: I’m going to humble brag for a second. Every time I make my green beans, I get asked for the recipe. I’m a pretty big fan of them and it appears everyone else is too. But let me tell you, these green beans that Megan made blew my socks off. After we were finished with dessert, we both stood in the kitchen, munching on the beans that didn’t get eaten, until guess what. They were all gone.
However, the recipe from Pondicheri did require that we get creative with how to open the coconut that it called for (without a cleaver, machete, or hammer). We spent the first 20 minutes scrambling around looking for sharp sturdy objects (a half of a kitchen shear won out over a volleyball net stake). We then used a flashlight as a hammer the to force the shears into the coconut in a few places to create a large crack. We ended the process by throwing it as hard as we could against the side of the house. Spoiler alert, it worked. And if Meg and I were ever deserted on a tropical island together, all of the coconuts would be quivering in their husks.
Kerala Green Beans
I will say unashamedly that these green beans are the best that I've ever had, like ... ever.
Ingredients
1/5lb green beans
3T coconut oil
1t black mustard seeds
1t minced garlic
2t black pepper
1t salt
2-4 stalks kari leaves, chopped
1/2c grated fresh coconut
2t amchur (mango powder)
Instructions
Trim ends of beans and slice into two. In a large saute pan, heat up the coconut oil over high heat until shimmering but not yet smoking.
Add the mustard seeds and heat until they start to pop and sizzle. Add the garlic and cook for a few seconds until opaque.
Reduce the heat to medium high and add green beans, black pepper, and salt.
Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the beans are tender but bright green.
Remove from heat and stir in kari leaves, grated fresh coconut, and amchur.
