I love Ethiopian food. Hands down, my favorite. I also love the eating ritual - sharing a big plate of delicious food with family and friends. There’s something warm and cozy about the entire experience.

When I lived in Washington D.C., I was a frequent customer at the little Ethiopian cafe by my office. I would go there every morning for a samosa and a cup of strong Ethiopian coffee. In the afternoons, I would get lunch with Ethiopian flatbread called Injera. It was probably my favorite part of the meal - I love bread! Before I go on a tangent about injera, this bread is actually quite healthy. It’s made from a special type of grain called teff, which is very high in nutrients. So, if you come across injera, don’t feel guilty about eating it!

This recipe unfortunately does not come with injera bread - but if you have it handy or know how to make it, add it to your meal. You will love it!

Here’s what you will need to make this delicious dish:

one cup of cooked quinoa
1 can (15 oz) of black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)
2-3 bunches of collard greens or kale (separate the leaves from the stem, and place them in a bowl)
1 teaspoon of cumin, coriander, smoked paprika, grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, turmeric, and cardamom (if you have it)
1/2 yellow onion - finely diced
2 cups of chicken or vegetable broth
seasalt and black pepper as needed

Here’s how to make it:

Heat 1/4 cup of water in a large pot over medium heat. Don’t add oil.
Add finely minced/diced yellow onion to cook for 3-5 minutes until it softens
Lower the heat, and add garlic powder and ginger, stir and let it cook for 1 minute
Stir in cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, black pepper
Add in 2 cups of broth, increase temperature to medium, and bring it to boil
Once it’s boiling, turn down the temperature to low - simmer mode, and add in the collard greens or kale. If you use kale - the cooking time will be shorter.
Stir the kale until the leaves start to wilt. Add salt and pepper according to taste.
Cover and cook for 15-30 minutes (depending on if you are cooking kale or collard greens)
Once the leaves are wilted, add in the can of black eyed peas (drained) and stir gently to combine
Continue to cook uncovered for another 7-10 minutes, until the greens are tender and there’s practically no more liquid. Make sure you are cooking on low heat, so that way the food doesn’t stick to the pot. If you are noticing it is sticking, add a drop of vegetable oil.
Once the liquid has evaporated, turn off the stove
Spoon the greens over the quinoa per each serving. Enjoy!

Gomen Remixed - Ethiopian Collard Greens w/ Black Eyed Peas