My Habesha attempt: Gomen

I know I'm acclimated to living in the south because I now have a favorite collard greens recipe. I love it because it's flavorful, vegetarian (no fatty ham hock here), and it goes with everything. 

Gomen is an Ethiopian greens recipe, so of course it's meant to be eaten with injera, but I am not that pro yet to be fermenting my own teff batter at home, so I just served it with some Jamaican styled rice and peas and fried plantains. Fusion af. The original recipe was shared with me by Kristina, but I had to make some minor changes because I didn't have all the proper spices in my pantry. She suggested simmering for even longer than I did (based on the following photos) so that the greens become dark, withered, and very tender. I've cooked and refined the recipes several times since, so I know that it's a Linda kitchen staple now. 

Gomen

1 lb collard greens, chopped

2 tbs clarified butter (ghee or kebeh)

6 cloves of garlic, chopped

1 small knob of ginger, chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

1/2 tsp tumeric

1/2 tsp berbere 

1/4 tsp all spice

1 stick cinnamon

1 tbs lemon juice

salt, to taste

1. Bring greens to a boil in about 2 cups of water. Simmer until tender. Drain greens and set aside. Keep the water and set aside as well. 

2. In a deep pan, heat 1 tbs of clarified butter and sautee onions, ginger, and garlic until brown. 

3. Add in the drained collard greens, an additional spoonful of butter, and the leftover water into the pan and simmer on low heat with spices until all water evaporates and greens are tender. 

✓ fiber

✓ vitamin A

✓ vegetables