I have the privilege of working at one of the best places I could imagine, the Natural Gourmet Institute (NGI). I had been having a one way love affair with them since 2003, when Kathryn Bari, a graduate and chef, had me fall in love with healthy food. So, you can imagine how happy I was when I started working at NGI last year. It felt like everything was coming full circle.

The food at NGI is spectacular, but sometimes the recipes require more time, energy and ingredients than I really want to deal with. It’s great for special occasions, when I’m cooking for a client, or when I really want to treat myself, but sometimes I want a similar dish without all the frills.

When I tried Chef Rich’s Curried Coconut Green Beans dish, I was hooked. It was so flavorful and satisfying. I’ve made it over a dozen times since, and I’m very happy with my alterations to the recipe. Enjoy!

Curried Coconut Green Beans

Ingredients

• 1 lb green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut (unsweetened)
• 1 tsp mustard seeds, if you have them
• 1 tbs curry powder, divided
• 1 tbs coconut oil
• 1 jalapeno or thai bird chili (if you like heat)
• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/2 tbs minced ginger
• 3-4 fresh curry leaves if you can find them
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Heat coconut oil in a large wok or saute pan.
2. Add the mustard seeds and wait until they pop, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Add the curry leaves, shallots and hot peppers if you’re using them. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the curry powder and ginger, and cook an additional 30 seconds.
5. Add the green beans, and cook to your liking. About 5-7 minutes.
6. Once the green beans are tender, add the shredded coconut and stir to coat the green beans.
7. Cook until heated through. Adjust salt and curry powder to your liking.