Sunday, March 7, 2010

Ethiopian Collards

From IVU:
From: - hippie

Ethiopian cuisine is one of my all time favorite.
I live in Los Angeles and eat in some of the many restaurants on Fairfax Avenue between Olympic and Pico Boulevards.
Vegetable dishes are served on one huge sourdough pancake, called an _injera_.
The veggies are dolloped on the huge injera and a breadbasket of smaller injeras are at hand to be torn into bits so that the veggies can be picked up with it.
Here is a collard greens dish that I got from an Ethiopian cookbook ( Exotic Ethiopian Cooking, by Daniel J. Mesfin).

UTENSILS: medium cooking pan

* 1 lb. collard greens
* 1 cup red onions (chopped)
* 4 medium green peppers (fresh) sliced in strips (chili Anaheim)
* 2 cups water
* 1/2 tsp. garlic (peeled and chopped)
* 16 oz. oil
* salt to taste

Wash collard greens, boil in medium pan until soft.

Remove from heat, drain, and cut into small pieces.
Set aside.
Wash green peppers, remove seeds, slice lengthwise and set aside.

In the medium pan, cook onions over a low heat until brown adding a little water to prevent sticking and burning.

Add oil.
Add collard greens and cook until water disappears.
Add all the spices and stir gently.
One at a time, add the green pepper slices about 10 minutes before removing from fire.
Serve hot or cold.
Serves 6.
Refrigerate.

_Ye'abesha Gomen_ (Collard Greens) is the most delicious vegetable dish.
It is served as a side dish with other food.
It is served either cold or warm.

Ethiopian Lentil Stew

From postpunkkitchen:

Submitted by Isa
prep time: 15 minutes | cooking time: About 45 minutes | makes 6 - 8
My first foray into Ethiopian cooking was magical but this dish was the big hit. I usually frind my own spices for this but this is a quicker version. Serve with rice, polenta or injera bread.
Equipment:
Large heavey soup pot
Another pot with lid for boiling the lentils

Ingredients
1 cup brown lentils
1 large yellow onion, diced small
2 carrots, peeled and diced
4 cloves garlic, miced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, grated
1/4 cup peanut oil (vegetable oil will do)
10 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 cup vegetable stock or 1 cup water + 2 veg boullion cubes
1 cup frozen green peas

Spice Blend:
2 tsp ground cumin
2 teaspoons hungarian paprika
1 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground cardomom
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

Directions
Boil the lentils for about 45 minutes or until tender.

In a large pot, over med heat saute the onions and carrots for 10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and spice blend. Saute 5 more minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes, cook 5 more minutes. Add tomato paste and mix, then add the water. Simmer Until bubbling. Add the cooked lentils and green peas, simmer 15 more minutes.

Ethiopian Cabbage

From www.ivu.org/recipes/african/ethiopian-cabbage.html:
A delicious dish that can be served as a side or a vegetarian main course.

SERVES 4 -6

* 3-4 tablespoons olive oil
* 4 carrots, thinly sliced
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1/2 head cabbage, shredded
* 5 potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

In a medium skillet heat the olive over medium heat; add the carrots and onion and cook in the hot oil about 5 minutes.

Add the salt, pepper, cumin, turmeric, and cabbage and cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in the potatoes; cover and reduce heat to medium-low; cook 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.