One of my last home cooking challenges is to master Ethiopian food. It has been nearly 10 years since I lived in the Phoenix area where I could get it, and I miss it terribly. So, this is the first of a number of recipes in that vein. Like most, it will not even attempt to be authentic, just to capture what I liked most about what I used to eat. This is a simple side dish of cabbage and carrots, flavored with turmeric and ginger.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
  • 1 onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
  • 1 tablespoon garlic paste
  • 1 tablespoon ginger paste
  • 1 tablespoon berbere
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
  • 2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes

Directions

  1. Heat the oil and ghee or butter in a large pan over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add carrots and continue to cook until onions begin to get color.
  2. Add the garlic and ginger paste, berbere, salt, pepper, turmeric, and cumin. Stir to coat the vegetables with the spices and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Add cabbage and about 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook until cabbage is soft, about 15 minutes.
  4. Add the potatoes with a little more water if needed and cook until tender, about 20 minutes more.
  5. Adjust seasoning to taste and serve with injera.