Black Beans with Coconut, Chile, and Lime

We thought this was a decent side dish but nothing spectacular. The crispy fried aromatics on top were a nice touch, but overall, the flavors didn’t quite come together as we had hoped.

Ingredients

• 6 tbsp/90ml olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves (2 thinly sliced, 2 crushed)
• 2 red chiles, thinly sliced into rounds
• 14 fresh makrut lime leaves (10 for frying, 4 for cooking)
• 2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 2 shallots, finely chopped
• 1 ancho chile, torn in half
• 1¼ tsp table salt
• 1¾ cups/350g black beans (or 2¾ cups/800g cooked beans)
• 1 tsp baking soda (for soaking dried beans, if using)
• 3 cups/700ml water
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• ½ small coconut, finely shaved or grated

Instructions

1. For the aromatics: Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Once hot, decrease the heat to medium; add the garlic, chiles, and lime leaves; and fry for 2 minutes, stirring to separate the garlic slices, or until the garlic is beginning to turn golden. Add the mustard seeds and fry for another 30 seconds or so, until the garlic starts to turn a light golden brown. Strain the aromatics through a sieve set over a bowl to collect the oil. Set the aromatics and oil aside separately.
2. Put 3 tbsp of the reserved aromatic oil into a medium saucepan on medium-high heat, then add the shallots, garlic, lime leaves, ancho chile, and salt. Decrease the heat to medium and fry for 6 minutes, stirring often, until the shallots are soft and golden brown. Rinse the beans well, then add them to the pan with the 3 cups/700ml water. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer, then decrease the heat to medium and cook for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans are cooked through but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes.
3. Transfer the beans to a lipped platter or a large, shallow bowl. Discard the lime leaves and ancho chile. Drizzle with the lime juice and the remaining reserved aromatic oil. Top with the coconut and fried aromatics and serve.