Liberian Greens and Rice

Occasionally, I add a recipe to the weekly menu plan and assume Evan won’t touch it. I don’t make him a different meal on those nights, but he may get a peanut butter, banana, berry, spinach smoothie at bedtime if he didn’t eat anything on the plate. Well, he completely surprised me and ate his entire bowl of these Liberian Greens and Rice. He then started stealing bites from my bowl. I think having the greens shredded so thinly helped.

This recipe is quite customizable based on your tastes. I used chicken, but you can pair the greens with your favorite meat. The greens can also vary a bit. I used a mixture of collard greens and kale. Potato and cassava leaves are also popular. I would avoid spinach due to the texture when overcooked.

I didn’t cook the chicken pieces completely through when it was first in the pan, just until the edges browned. It cooks further when simmered with the greens.

Liberian Greens and Rice
Adapted from Sweet Basil’n Spice
Serves 4-6

1-1 1/2 pounds dark, leafy greens (collard, kale)
2 tablespoons, plus 1/3 cup canola or palm oil, divided
1 pound uncooked meat (chicken, beef, lamb, pork), cut into 1 inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
1 large onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 large bouillon cube (I used chicken)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2-1 teaspoon chipotle or cayenne pepper powder
For Serving:
Cook African or Basmati Rice

Remove and discard any thick stems from the greens. Roll up the remaining leafy parts and slice as thinly as possible. Place in a large bowl and rinse with cold water. Drain, but do not pat dry.

In a large pot, drizzle 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the meat pieces and toss with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until all sides are browned. Transfer to a plate and cover with foil.

Add the onion, garlic, and greens to the pot. If the pot is not large enough, wait until some of the greens have wilted before adding more. Cover with a lid and stir occasionally until all greens have wilted.

Mix in fish sauce, bouillon cube, remaining 1/3 cup oil, tomato paste, and pepper powder. Adjust seasonings to taste. Stir in the cooked meat and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve immediately with rice.