Recipes
Ye Tikil Gomen Alicha / Caulo (Music-in-Your-Mouth Cabbage with Potatoes and Carrots)
Author:
Beejhy Barhany
Servings
6-8
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
35-45 minutes
"This mild stew owes its deep, satisfying flavor to a few special techniques. First, I tumble some onions into a dry pan and listen to the whisper and hiss of them dry-sautΓ©ing. Then, instead of adding the ginger and garlic at the beginning, I hold those key aromatics back until the very end so they cook just slightly from residual heat. These humble vegetables are transformed into something unique and special. Cutting the jalapeΓ±o into four long strips allows its flavor to permeate the dish without its becoming too spicy. Serve the strips to anyone who likes heat!"
Excerpted with permission from Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond: A Cookbook by Beejhy Barhany with Elisa Ung. Β©2025. Published by Penguin Random House.
Ingredients
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3 carrots, peeled, halved lengthwise, and sliced crosswise into half-moons Β½ inch thick
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2 white potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
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2 yellow onions, sliced into thin half-moons
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Β½ cup vegetable oil
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1 teaspoon ground turmeric
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ΒΎ teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
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ΒΎ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
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1 head green cabbage (1 Β½β2 pounds), cored and cut into 1-inch-wide strips
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1 tablespoon ginger/garlic paste, or 2 teaspoons minced garlic plus 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
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1 jalapeΓ±o, trimmed and cut lengthwise into four long strips (seeded if you want less heat)
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Β½ teaspoon Ground Roasted Korarima (Grains of Paradise)
Directions
In a large bowl, cover the carrots and potatoes with cold water and soak at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients.
In a large deep pot with no oil, sautΓ© the onions over medium heat until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the oil. Drain the carrots and potatoes and add them to the pot. Cover and cook, stirring constantly, to soften the vegetables, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the turmeric, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the carrots and potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Mix in the cabbage, cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has shrunk and softened, about 15 minutes.
Stir in the garlic/ginger mixture, jalapeΓ±o, and korarima (grains of paradise). Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Taste and add salt and pepper, if necessary.
Recipe Note
Gursha: Timeless Recipes for Modern Kitchens, from Ethiopia, Israel, Harlem, and Beyond: A Cookbook by Beejhy Barhany with Elisa Ung is available for purchase here: