Gomen
Gomen is the green side dish that rounds out almost every traditional Ethiopian meal, a light, fresh dish designed specifically to balance the heavy, spicy stews like misir wat or doro wat sharing the same injera platter. The leaves used vary regionally — collard greens, kale, or even beet greens — depending on what's grown locally. As part of the fasting table, gomen holds a special status: being entirely plant-based and highly nutritious, it was often the only source of fresh greens available in rural Ethiopian households during certain seasons. The contrast between the fine, almost silky texture of the sautéed greens and the intense flavor of the surrounding stews is considered essential to a well-composed injera platter.
Finely shredded greens
Kale or collard leaves are finely shredded before sautéing.
Garlic and ginger
The base flavor comes from garlic and fresh ginger sautéed in oil.
Optional chili
A chopped green chili adds extra heat, if desired.
Simple vegan side
A very simple, quickly cooked fasting dish, used as a contrasting element on the injera platter.
Ingredients 4 servings
- 500g kale or collard greens, finely shredded
- 3 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- 1 green chili, chopped (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Lemon juice, for serving (optional)
How to make it
- 1PREP THE GREENS: Wash the kale or collard leaves thoroughly, remove tough stems, and finely shred them.
- 2SAUTÉ THE ONION: Heat the oil and sauté the onion over medium heat 5-6 minutes, until translucent.
- 3ADD AROMATICS: Add garlic, ginger and chili (if using), cooking 1-2 minutes.
- 4ADD THE GREENS: Add the shredded greens to the pan, in batches if needed, stirring to wilt evenly.
- 5COOK: Sauté over medium-low heat 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until the greens soften but keep their deep green color.
- 6SEASON: Add salt to taste, mixing well.
- 7FINISH: Remove from heat and, optionally, drizzle with a little lemon juice.
- 8SERVE: Serve warm or at room temperature, alongside other stews on the injera platter.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
