Gomen wat is a vibrant, flavourful dish that is a staple in Ethiopian cuisine. It is prepared by slow cooking the onion, garlic, collard greens or spinach and a mix of spices, which results in a delicious and healthy recipe. Gomen means “Greens” and wat means “stew” in Ethiopian language. It is a mild flavourful dish compared to other spicy Ethiopian stews like doro wat, atakilt wat. This dish is really easy to make. If you’re looking to include greens in your family diet, then this dish is perfect to serve with injera with an exotic Ethiopian twist!
Gomen Wat
Gomen wat is a beautiful example of how simple greens can be turned into a soulful dish. With just a few pantry staples or ingredients, you can make a dish that is comforting, healthy and pairs well with injera, rice, roti and quinoa. If you love South Indian spinach recipes, then this Ethiopian version of spinach will definitely satisfy your taste buds and make you truly enjoy it.
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About Gomen Wat
Gomen wat is an Ethiopian dish, it is also known as collard green stew or abesha gomen. It is usually made with greens like collard or kale. I first tried this dish during our trip to Japan and fell quickly in love with this recipe. Now cooking this recipe at home has become a regular thing for me. What makes this dish so great is how simple it is ! Just greens, garlic and spices creates a flavourful and an amazing dish.
Gomen wat is usually made with collard greens or kale, but some people also use spinach. Collard greens leaves will be wider and have thicker stems compared to the regular spinach. I’m using spinach in this recipe. You can try different greens like amarnath leaves, palak, drumstick leaves or Haak saag ( an Indian type collard green available in Kashmir) based on your diet and taste preference. No matter what green you use, don’t skip ginger and garlic. As they help in bringing out the green flavours naturally.
Gomen wat shares many similarities to our Indian stir fried spinach recipes like keerai poriyal, palak sabzi. These recipes use green as the main ingredient and are flavoured with onion, garlic and spices. The idea of slow cooking greens until tender and flavourful is common in both Ethiopian and Indian cuisine. So preparing gomen wat will make you feel familiar with our Indian cooking palettes.
Gomen wat is traditionally served with injera. Injera is a flatbread that is a staple in Ethiopian cuisine. It is made with teff flour that is fermented and made like a crepe, that tastes spongy and wonderful. Injera is topped with a variety of curries and stews like doro wat, misir wat, atakilt wat and gomen wat.
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WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
Healthy and filling : Gomen wat is made with leafy greens like collard, kale or spinach. These greens are packed with a lot of vitamins, iron and fibre. So, this dish makes a nutritious and healthy meal option. It keeps you filling for a longer time.
Versatile : The recipe is so versatile that you can make it with any greens of your choice like kale, spinach. You can also make it healthier by adding vegetables like potato, carrot or protein rich add-ons like paneer, tofu, chickpea.
Easy to make : Gomen wat is quick and easy to make. The recipe can be prepared with the basic pantry staples like onion, garlic, ginger, greens and spices. It is a one pot dish that is so tasty, comforting and doesn’t require much effort.
Ingredients
Oil : Oil is used for cooking the onion, spices and greens. I have used regular cooking oil. You can use any oil like sesame oil, avocado oil, peanut oil, olive oil. Traditionally in Ethiopian stews, niter kibberh ( a spiced clarified butter ) is used for cooking.
Onion : Finely chopped onions add a sweet flavour and help to form the base of the stew.
Green chilli : Depending upon your spice tolerance, adjust little or more chillies. You can even sprinkle berbere spice to achieve a unique Ethiopian taste.
Ginger garlic paste : This paste is added for its warm and pungent flavour. I have used homemade paste. You can even use crushed or store bought paste.
Tomato : Tomato adds a tangy taste and helps to create the sauce consistency. You can even add canned tomatoes or tomato puree.
Chilli powder : Chilli powder is added for the spice and color. Adjust it according to your spice tolerance. You can even add kashmiri chilli powder for a more vibrant color.
Cumin powder : Cumin powder adds a warm, earthy flavour that enhances the flavour of the greens.
Ground cardamom : Ground or crushed cardamom gives a slight sweet and aromatic flavour.
Spinach : The main ingredient of gomen wat is greens. Traditionally collard greens or kale is used. You can even substitute with spinach like palak, amarnath leaves, drumstick leaves of your choice.
Salt : Salt is used for seasoning and enhances the flavour of all ingredients.
Hacks
Prepare the greens : Wash and clean the spinach or kale or collard greens thoroughly to remove the sand and dirt. Then chop them finely. Remove the stems as they may take too much time to cook.
Cook in less water : Greens like collard green or kale or spinach release a lot of water as they cook. So just add a splash of water to prevent sticking and to blend the spices with the greens.
Instant pot cooking : Cooking the gomen wat in instant pot makes the process even quicker and faster. Turn on saute mode in the pot, then add ingredients like onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, spices, greens and mix well. Cover and steam for 5 minutes. Then release the pressure naturally. Your healthy and delicious meal will be ready in less than 30 minutes. Serve it with injera, rice or roti.
Gomen Wat (Step by Step Pictures)
1)Heat oil in a pan, add in onions, green chillies and saute for a minute.
2)Add in ginger garlic paste and cook for few seconds.
3)Now add in tomatoes and cook for couple of minutes until tomatoes soften a little.
4)Add in chilli powder, cumin powder and cardamom powder. Mix well.
5)Now the spices is cooked well.
6)Add in spinach and cook that down for 2 minutes until spinach is wilted completely.
7)Now the spinach is cooked.
8)Season with salt and mix well.
9)Enjoy.
Expert Tips
- To make it more healthier and filling, add chopped vegetables like potato, carrot to the base and cook.
- For a South Indian twist, add grated coconut towards the end to make it like a keerai poriyal.
- For a spicier version, add a teaspoon of berbere spice mix at the end. ● Don’t overcook the greens as they may turn mushy.
- Use ghee, butter or niter kibbeh ( Ethiopian spiced butter ) for extra flavour.
- You can add some cooked lentils like masoor dal, toor dal for added protein.
Storage
Leftover gomen wat can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for 3 to 5 days. While reheating on stove top add a splash of water or oil, to retain the moisture and flavour. You can also reheat them using a microwave oven, if you’re short on time.
Serving
Gomen wat is traditionally served with injera, an Ethiopian flatbread. It is the perfect accompaniment for this dish. Gomen wat is also an excellent accompaniment for rice, quinoa and roti.
FAQ
1 . Is Gomen wat spicy ?
It is generally a mildly spiced recipe. But if you want to make it really spicy then you can add berbere spice mix toward the end of cooking.
2.Can I make it ahead of time ?
Absolutely ! Gomen wat can be made in advance and stored. Making it ahead helps the flavours settle and even tastes better the next day.
3. Can I freeze the leftovers ?
Greens can lose some texture when frozen, so always consume as fresh as possible.
4. What greens can be substituted for collard greens ?
Collard greens are widely not available in India, so you can substitute with spinaches like Amarnath green ( arai keera ), Palak ( spinach ), Drumstick leaves ( murungai keera ) , Methi ( fenugreek leaves ). As all these are mild in flavour and pairs well with base recipe.
5. What is niter kebbah ?
Niter kebbah is an Ethiopian spiced butter. It is traditionally used in making stews like doro wat, gomen wat, atakilt wat and misir wat. It gives the unique rich and authentic flavour.
6. Can I add other vegetables or protein to it?
Definitely! You can make it more healthier by adding vegetables like carrot, potato, or cooked chickpeas, tofu for protein.
Variations
Doro wat : This is a famous Ethiopian spicy stew made with chicken, boiled eggs, onion, garlic and berbere spice mix. The caramelized onion, chicken and spicy sauce results in a scrumptious curry sauce. It goes very well with injera, roti, naan.
Atakilt wat : Atakilt wat is a mildly spiced Ethiopian vegetable stew. It is prepared using potato, carrot, cabbage and berbere spice mix. It will be very light and flavourful that pairs well with injera, rice, quinoa, roti.
Misir wat : Misir wat is a red lentil stew. The lentils are cooked with onion, garlic and berbere spice. It is a great comforting and healthy dish.
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📖 Recipe Card
Ethiopian Spinach Recipe (Gomen Wat Recipe)
Calories: 242kcal
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 242kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 150mg | Potassium: 1202mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 12898IU | Vitamin C: 59mg | Calcium: 184mg | Iron: 6mg
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