Tikel Gomen (Cabbage and Carrots)

Name: Tikel Gomen (Cabbage and Carrots)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: ethiopian
Ingredients: 1 large green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 12 cups); 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups); 1/3 cup vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons grated garlic (from 6 to 7 garlic cloves); 3 large carrots, scrubbed or peeled, then sliced into 2-inch sticks; 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric; Salt

Recipe from Genet Agonafer

Adapted by Naz Deravian

Published Aug. 8, 2024

Tikel Gomen (Cabbage and Carrots) — Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist. Cyd Raftus McDowell.

Total Time: 1 hour
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Rating: 4(73)
Comments: Read comments

Vegetarian Ethiopian dishes are a hallmark of Genet Agonafer’s menu at her acclaimed restaurant in Los Angeles, Meals by Genet. Tikel gomen, a flavorful, turmeric-tinged cabbage dish, is simple to prepare without compromising on taste. Ms. Agonafer prepares her tikel gomen (meaning cabbage in Amharic) with fork-tender carrots; other versions may also include potatoes. The cabbage is silky without being mushy and stands up well to the pronounced garlic. To achieve just the right texture and flavor, Ms. Agonafer first boils the finely chopped onion before cooking it in oil with the rest of the ingredients. Tikel gomen is typically served with injera; while not traditional, it can also be served with rice or any bread of choice. —Naz Deravian

Featured in: Injera Is the Soul of Ethiopian Cuisine

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

1large green cabbage (about 2 pounds), cored and chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 12 cups)
1large onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)
⅓cup vegetable oil
2tablespoons grated garlic (from 6 to 7 garlic cloves)
3large carrots, scrubbed or peeled, then sliced into 2-inch sticks
1½teaspoons ground turmeric
Salt

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water to a boil. Add the cabbage, adjust heat to medium-high and boil until slightly softened but still with bite, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
Step 2
Meanwhile, place the onion in a large (12-inch) pan with deep sides and a lid (the same pan you’ll use to make tikel gomen). Cover with 4 cups of water and bring to a boil. Adjust heat to medium-high and boil, uncovered, until the onion is just softened and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 3
Strain and return the onion to the pan over medium heat; add the oil and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, until completely softened and fragrant, 7 to 10 minutes. You don’t want the onion and garlic to take on any color; turn down the heat if necessary.
Step 4
Add the carrots, cabbage and turmeric, and season with salt. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots are fork-tender but keep their shape, about 20 minutes. Taste for salt and serve.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

73 user ratings

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Comments

Rebecca2 years ago

Yes!! More Ethiopian recipes and more from Genet Agonafer please!!

Max2 years ago

Temper oil with mustard and cumin seeds when sautéing onion and garlic. It will add another layer of nutty/toasty flavor!

90019CA2 years ago

Made this and made one small change. I steamed the cabbage over the boiling minced onions to save time. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly. I live right by Meals by Genet and have to say, this tastes *exactly* like what she serves. It's a bit mild, with a hint of garlic and some sweetness from the carrots and cabbage. Paired with tangy injera it's a perfect bite. If you can, serve with timatim fifit (spicy tomatoes), atkilt (potatoes and green beans), and misir lentils too.

Durk8 days ago

I really enjoyed this. Deserving at least 3 stars for Ethiopian authenticity, I rated 4 because I’ll come back to it. I’ve been able to riff on it easily, combining with several mains. The mild, melt-y cabbage-onion-garlic made a nice palette for sweet, sturdy carrots. (The quality of the veggies is everything! I’m grateful for our garden). I saved the broth from boiling and added a couple tablespoons back in as I needed, to prevent browning. I was looking for a dish to use EXACTLY the last winters’ still-sweet cabbage, carrots, stored onion and garlic, otherwise I might have missed this tasty sleeper. It isn’t complicated, it was easy-peasy! Prepped the next veg during the boil of the previous one. I’ve even added small odds and ends of other veggies (potato, mashua, what’s in the fridge?) One of the comments (I think?) suggested dill; this worked. Another, cumin and mustard; it was good. I’ve even added caraway once. It wasn’t authentic, but it’s why I’ll use the dish again: versatility, color contrast, turmeric, mild flavor and soothing texture, all for counterpoint to spicy or strongly flavored or textured mains, and it’s one more way to prepare cabbage! Thanks NYT Cooking!

Ess Ess2 months ago

I had to cook for about an extra 15 minutes because the carrots stayed hard but they finally softened enough to serve. I was really looking forward to making this because it's my favorite dish to order at restaurants, but I was very disappointed in the lack of flavor in this final result. When I've had this at any Ethiopian restaurant there is a wonderful silky buttery flavor to it. This just tasted like hot oily cabbage, and is missing all the flavors.

mindy3 months ago

Made as directed, even followed some tips in comments. I love Ethiopian food, and this dish in particular. Don’t know what/if anything I did wrong. Maybe it needed more authentic Ethiopian spices. But I couldn’t eat this. No flavor. Threw it away.

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