Tikil Gomen (Ethiopian-Style Cabbage, Potatoes, and Carrots)

If you’re new to Ethiopian food, tikil gomen is the perfect side dish to get you acquainted with the fragrant flavors of East African cuisine. It all starts with cooking down chopped onions until they’re sweet and jammy, then adding cabbage, potatoes, and carrots to the skillet so they can stew together until they get tantalizingly tender. A whole jalapeño pepper infuses the dish with spicy undertones while turmeric adds a warming flavor and golden hue to the veggies. A squeeze of lemon delivers a kick of bright acidity to tie all the flavors together. If you want to double down on the East African theme, serve it alongside another Ethiopian classic, Shiro Wat (Chickpea Flour Stew).

For more vegan cabbage recipes, check out these tasty ideas:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chopped onion
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups coarsely chopped cabbage
  • 2 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes (1-inch cubes)
  • 2 cups sliced carrots (¼-inch-thick slices)
  • 1 fresh jalapeño chile, slit vertically on one side and seeded
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions

  • In a large skillet combine onion, garlic, and ¼ cup water. Cover and cook over medium 10 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking.
  • Add the next five ingredients (through turmeric) and ½ cup water; cook, covered, 15 minutes more or until potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally and adding water, 1 to 2 tablespoons at a time, as needed to prevent sticking.
  • Remove and discard jalapeño. Season with salt and stir in lemon juice. Serve warm.

Comments (2)

(5 from 3 votes)

Recipe Rating

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Bethany

I added some cayenne pepper and brown mustard while cooking, and used veggie broth instead of water. Once the lemon was in, it was really tasty and a super quick meal. I would recommend adding chickpeas or tofu to incorporate a protein into the dish.

Cole Coubrough

I wasn’t sure about this one beforehand but it was pretty darn good. 7.5/10. Could hardly taste the jalapeño and the lemon at the end really makes the dish.

About the Author

Headshot of Darshana Thacker

About the Author

Darshana Thacker Wendel

Darshana Thacker Wendel is a whole-food, plant-based chef and former culinary projects manager for Forks Over Knives. A graduate of the Natural Gourmet Institute, she is the author of Forks Over Knives: Flavor! She created the recipes for Forks Over Knives Family and was a lead recipe contributor to the New York Times bestseller The Forks Over Knives Plan. Her recipes have been published in The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook, Forks Over Knives—The Cookbook, Forks Over Knives: The Plant-Based Way to Health, and LA Yoga magazine online. Visit DarshanasKitchen.com and follow her on Instagram for more.
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