Atakilt Wat

This dish, adapted from Jill Nussinow’s book Vegan Under Pressure, uses the “Holy Trinity” of Ethiopian cooking: cabbage, carrots, and potatoes. If you can put your hands on some fenugreek powder, it will give this dish a flavor of Ethiopian authenticity, but if not, the cumin. turmeric and ginger will suffice to make it delicious.

Here is the recipe:

ATAKILIT WAT

(Ethiopian Cabbage, Carrots, and Potatoes)

(Adapted from Jill Nussinow, Vegan Under Pressure)

This dish uses the “Holy Trinity” of Ethiopian cooking: cabbage, carrots, and potatoes.

1/4 cup sherry, dry vermouth, or white wine with more as needed

1 medium onion, diced

Up to 4 cloves of garlic, diced

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp ground fenugreek (optional)

1/2 tsp cumin*

1 cup water or vegetable stock and more as needed

3 or 4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

2 medium carrots, cut into coins

About 1/4 head of cabbage, chopped**

1/2 tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Sauté the onion in liquid for about two minutes. Add the garlic, ginger and spices, and cook one more minute, adding liquid as needed to keep things from sticking. Add about 1 cup of vegetable stock or water, and the vegetables (potatoes, carrots, and cabbage). Cook over low to medium heat for at least 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender, checking occasionally to see if more liquid is needed. Add salt and pepper and serve.

Good served with brown rice.

*Cumin is my addition to the recipe, as many people will not have access to fenugreek. 

**To make best use of a head of cabbage, remove the large outer leaves and work inwards to get as much cabbage as you need; chop the leaves fine as needed for this or any other recipe. If you work your way inward, the remaining cabbage will stay intact and fresh, and you won’t lose any of the head. The same holds true for heads of lettuce and other greens that form a head.

BROWN RICE

1 cup brown rice 

2 ½ cups water

In a large pot, bring the rice and water to a boil; lower the heat to “Low,” cover, and cook about 45 min. (If you have an electric stove, cover partially until temperature lowers, then completely cover pot.) At the end of cooking time, if the rice sticks to the pan, take the pot off the heat, add ½ c water, and cover. In a few minutes, the rice will spoon easily even from the bottom of the pan.

This is a good ratio of rice to water. For a larger crowd you can cook 1½ cups of rice in 3 cups of water (easy to remember).