Liberian Greens and Rice

Recipe taken and adapted from Sweet Basil ‘n Spice

Ingredients

• 1 to 1.5 lbs Collard greens 
• 1 large onion, finely sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 lb uncooked beef, chicken, lamb or pork 
  • cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp palm oil, refined coconut oil or canola oil
• 1 tbsp fish sauce (or worchestishire sauce)
• 1 large bouillon cube
• 1/3 cup palm oil, coconut oil, canola oil or peanut oil
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper or 1 minced habanero pepper (seeds removed)

Directions

1. Rinse collard greens with cool water and pat dry with a clean towel. If desired, remove stems. Stack the leaves together, roll ino a fist-sized bundle and slice into ½ inch strips.
2. Pile shredded greens into a large bowl. Rinse a second time.
3. Slice the onion, mince the garlic and place on top of greens. 
4. On a stovetop, turn the heat to medium and melt two tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a large pot. Add the meat and sprinkle with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until the meat is cooked through and starting to brown. Remove from the pot and keep warm in a bowl. 
5. Dump the bowl of greens, onion and garlic into the hot pan with oil.  You may need to do it in two batches after the first batch wilts a bit. Put a lid on the pot and stir every few minutes, to mix the greens down and make sure they cook evenly. 
6. Stir in the remaining ingredients (fish sauce, 1/3 cup oil, tomato paste, spices). Add the meat and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until the greens turn dark green. 
7. Serve over hot short grain brown rice.