Ethiopian Vegetarian Combo
Why I Love This Recipe
FEATURING: Cabbage, carrots, onions, kale (or Swiss chard or other leafy green), garlic, tomatoes, watermelon radishes (or white turnips or radishes) (optional), and garlic.
We love Ethiopian food so we thought we'd share 4 easy and tasty recipes that we like to make together and eat on injera (Ethiopian flatbread/pancake) that we buy from Ethiopian restaurants in Ottawa or at the Quickie Mart on Rideau/Augusta and/or the Quickie Mart on Bank/Gilmour. These recipes taste very similar to what Gen used to eat in Ethiopia and what is often served in Ethiopian restaurants here as a vegetarian combo. You can, of course, only make one of the four meals (to keep it simple) and/or explore your own combos!
Ingredients You'll Need
CABBAGE, CARROT & POTATOES - Atkilt Wot
½ cup olive oil
4 carrots, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ head cabbage, shredded
5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
KALE (AND/OR SWISS CHARD)- Ye’abasha Gomen
4-7 leaves of dark leafy green vegetable (ex.: Swiss Chard or Kale), chopped finely with the stem
2-4 tbsp olive oil
1 small onions, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed (or 1 garlic scape, chopped)
½ tsp grated fresh root ginger
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or 1/2 jalapeño seeded and chopped)
1 tsp fenugreek seeds
2-3 cardamom seeds
2/3 cup vegetable stock or water
1 red pepper, seeded and sliced (optional)
1-1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
LENTILS IN BERBERE SAUCE - Misir Wat
1 cup red lentils
4 tbsp. oil or nit’r qibe (Ethiopian Spiced Butter) or unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tbsp. berbere (Ethiopian Spice Mix)
1 small tomato, cored and chopped
Kosher salt, to taste
KALE (OR LETTUCE) SALAD - for a variation, try this Ethiopian Green Salad: http://www.spachethespatula.com/ethiopian-feast-ethiopian-green-salad/
1 kale leaf, stem removed, chopped as coarse or fine as you like
1/2 to 1 tomato, chopped
A few sliced of onions, peeled and chopped
A few slices of watermelon radishes (or white turnips), chopped into thin matchsticks (optional)
FOR THE KALE SALAD DRESSING
A bit of olive oil
A bit of lemon juice
Salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
FOR THE CABBAGE, CARROT & POTATOES - Atkilt Wot
Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the carrots and onion in the hot oil about 5 minutes. Stir in the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes. Add the potatoes; cover. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until potatoes are soft, 20 to 30 minutes.
KALE (AND/OR SWISS CHARD)- Ye’abasha Gomen
Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onions until browned. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry with the onions for a few minutes, then add the fenugreek seeds, cardamom seeds and the chillies and fry for 30 seconds. Add a little of the stock or water and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the greens, red pepper and the remaining stock or water. Season with salt and pepper, mix well, then cover and cook over low heat for about 15 minutes or until the dark leafy greens are well cooked and tender.
LENTILS IN BERBERE SAUCE - Misir Wat
Rinse the lentils in a sieve under cold running water and set aside.
Heat the oil (or butter) in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved lentils, 1 tbsp. of the berbere, tomato, and 4 cups water to the saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and the lentils are tender, 45–50 minutes. Stir in the remaining berbere and season generously with salt. Serve immediately.
KALE (OR LETTUCE) SALAD
In a bowl, mix the kale, onions, watermelon radish (if using) and tomatoes. Mix well. Add a dash of oil and lemon juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
FOR SERVING
Take one entire injera and place it on a large pizza pan (or large plate). On top, spread the different dishes. Serve with cut injera rolls that people can use to eat their meal.
