Atakilt Wat | Ethiopian Turmeric Cabbage, Potato, and Carrot Stew

Halve the cabbage, remove the core, and cut it into finger-width strips. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large chunks about four bites in size. Slice the carrots diagonally into half cm-thick pieces. The different sizes are intentional: carrots take the longest to soften, cabbage the least, and larger potato pieces hold together as they cook.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot and add the finely chopped onion. Cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until translucent around the edges and reduced by half, without browning; it is the only source of sweetness in the dish. Add the crushed garlic and grated ginger during the final 1 minute.

Stir the turmeric into the oil for 30 seconds to bloom it and release its color and aroma. Add the carrots and potatoes and stir for 7 more minutes, until coated in oil on all sides.

Add the cabbage strips, halved green peppers, water, and salt. Cover the pot and reduce the heat. During the 25-minute cook, turn the vegetables from the bottom up only 2 times without scraping the pot. The stew is ready when a knife meets slight resistance in the carrot but still slides in easily, and the cabbage has darkened in color.

If liquid remains pooled at the bottom of the pot, uncover it and cook over high heat for 3 more minutes. The stew should not be watery; the oil should rise to the surface. Sprinkle with black pepper, taste and adjust the salt, then serve warm rather than hot; the flavors come together as the atakilt wat cools slightly.