Ethiopian-Style Cabbage & Root Vegetables

I was inspired to make this flavorful, mildly spicy and nutritious vegetarian stew by this authentic Ethiopian recipe for Cabbage and Carrots. Because we enjoy a variety of different root vegetables, I decided to substitute rutabaga for half of the potatoes, and I chose not to peel the potato because I find them more flavorful unpeeled. I also used a head of red cabbage instead of white, and yellow onions instead of red, because that was what I had on hand. To cut back on fat, I used half as much oil as called for in the original recipe, figuring I could add more if necessary (and it wasn't). On the other hand, if you're not concerned about fat or whether the recipe is vegetarian, you can substitute 3 to 4 tablespoons of bacon fat for the oil, which will add richness and that unmistakable smoky bacon flavor (yes, I've tried this and it was tasty).

A few other departures from the original recipe have to do with size vs. quantity of a particular ingredient, e.g., 1 big carrot vs. 3 small carrots. Again, these changes had to do with what I had on hand. I included the weight of the ingredients to help you get an idea of how much to use--and as with most stews, you have some leeway as to how much to use and the end product will still be delicious. For the sake of appearance, however, I do recommend using green cabbage instead of red, because the yellow turmeric turns the purple color of the red cabbage into a less-appealing drab brown as it cooks.

Serve this Ethiopian style cabbage & vegetable stew over rice or with injera, a traditional Ethiopian bread. You can also enjoy it over quinoa or couscous instead of rice. My recipe will easily feed 4 to 6, and leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for a few days.

Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil
1 small cabbage (approx. 1 lb)
3 small carrots (approx. 3/4 lb total)
2 onions (approx. 3/4 lb total)
1 large potato (approx. 3/4 lb)
1 small rutabaga (approx. 3/4 lb)
2 tsp finely minced garlic
1 tsp ginger puree or paste
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp Kosher salt
1/2 cup hot water

Prep the vegetables: Trim and shred the cabbage (I use a very sharp chef's knife to quarter then thinly slice); peel & slice the carrots and onions; peel the potato & rutabaga (or leave the potato unpeeled if you prefer) and cut into small cubes.

In a large, deep saucepan heat the oil over medium heat, add onions and saute until translucent.  Stir in the ginger & garlic, followed by the carrots, cabbage, turmeric, salt & pepper. Add potato, rutabaga and hot water, stirring well to thoroughly combine.  Bring to a simmer, stir and then reduce heat to keep at a gentle simmer until everything is tender (about 20 to 30 minutes), leaving uncovered and stirring regularly.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria