I couldn't find what does the name Tikel Gomen mean, but I found out that it's a very common dish in Ethiopia, especially during fasting days when Orthodox Ethiopians abstain from animal source foods, and this is completely vegan.
It is most frequently served atop injera, a traditional flatbread similar to crepe, made of fermented teff flour. It was the first time I've heard of this plant, so for the moment I chose the second, less often way of serving Tikel Gomen - with cooked rice. Meanwhile, I dug up a store where I can buy teff flour, so I'm planning to make injera soon! :)
Let's now get back to the Tikel Gomen... I would really recommend you to prepare it because of many reasons: it's an easy and quite quick one-pot dish which abounds with divine aromas, catching colors and so many different flavors... Definitely a must-try!
And here's what you'll need to make 4 servings:
- 2 medium-sized onions
- 2 medium-sized carrots
- 1/3 head of medium-sized cabbage
- 3 medium-sized potatoes
- 100 ml oil
- 1 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds*
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger powder
- to taste salt and pepper
- 150 g raw long-grained rice
*the original recipe calls for 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin, but I used 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds instead, though it's not pretty much the same.
Directions:
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4. Add the potatoes, pour 150 ml of water and stir. Reduce the heat to the lowest, cover the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are soft and tender. Doctor with some more salt and pepper, if necessary, and remove from fire.
5. Meanwhile, bring some water to boiling in a separate pot, add some salt and cook the rice until soft and tender. Drain and set aside.
Divide cooked rice between plates and top with the Tikel Gomen, or put it beside.
Serve warm.