Cathy Katin-Grazzini
Cathy’s Kitchen Prescription LLC
www.cathyskitchenprescription.com
Ethiopian Greens
(Ye’abesha Gomen)
Typically made with collards but any leafy green makes a beautiful, flavorful feature to serve atop injera, Ethiopia’s delicious fermented skillet bread.
A bright, lively way to enjoy your greens!
Prep time 10 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes
Serves 5-7
Ingredients
1 large onion, medium dice
Water or no-sodium veggie broth for deglazing
3” knob of ginger root, peeled and minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon green cardamom seeds*
1 teaspoon cumin seed *
1 teaspoon coriander seed *
½ cayenne or your favorite chili”, or to taste
¼ teaspoon liquid smoke
3 pounds tender or baby greens, left intact, OR 1 ½ pounds hardy greens like collards, kale or
cabbage, chopped crudely or cut chiffonade (in ribbons)
3 Tablespoons lemon juice or your favorite vinegar
Salt lightly to taste or omit if salt-free
*Hint: For greatest flavor, freshness, and potency, grind your cumin, coriander, cardamom and chili yourself in a small, inexpensive coffee or spice grinder. Make in very small quantities, as the volatile oils in these ingredients degrade quickly and lose their potency and taste.
Directions
In a large pot, dry sauté onion over medium heat until softened and beginning to darken and adhere. Deglaze with a few tablespoons of liquid.
Add garlic, ginger, and spices, stirring. Cook for a minute then add greens, stirring to combine. Cover, lower heat and cook until greens are tender, which will be just a few 5 minutes if your greens are tender or baby greens, 15 minutes to older, hardier varieties.
When the greens are tender, remove cover, add the lemon juice or vinegar. Season lightly with salt, or omit.
If the greens have released a lot of liquid and your gomen has become soupy, transfer the greens to a serving dish and keep warm, using a slotted spoon or a strainer so the liquid falls back into the pot. Increase the heat slightly and reduce the liquid down to a flavorful syrup, keeping an eye on it. Pour over the gomen, stir, and keep warm until plating on injera.
Enjoy!
