Gomen

About This Recipe

Gomen is a cornerstone of Ethiopian fasting-day cuisine — hearty collard greens slowly stewed with garlic, ginger, and onion in a pool of niter kibbeh or olive oil until meltingly tender. Though simple, it is deeply nourishing and provides the perfect herbal counterbalance to the fiery reds of berbere-spiced wats on the injera platter.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 700 gcollard greens or kale, tough stems removed, thinly sliced
• 2 mediumonions, thinly sliced
• 4 clovesgarlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tbspfresh ginger, finely grated
• 3 tbspolive oil or niter kibbeh
• 1 wholegreen chilli, finely chopped (optional)
• 0.5 tspground turmeric
• 0.5 tspground cumin
• 200 mlwater
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Sauté aromatics

   Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook for 10 minutes until softened and beginning to colour. Add garlic, ginger, and green chilli; cook 2 more minutes.

2. 2

   Add spices and greens

   Stir in turmeric and cumin. Add the sliced collard greens and turn with tongs to coat in the aromatics. The pot will look very full but the greens will wilt rapidly.

3. 3

   Braise

   Add 200 ml water, cover the pot, and cook over medium-low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the collards are very tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Season with salt.

Variations

• •

  Add 200 g chickpeas in the last 10 minutes for a heartier version.

• •

  Cook in coconut oil for a slightly sweeter, more tropical flavour.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate up to 4 days. The greens become more tender and flavourful by the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions