Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Vegetable Stew

By Gina Caputo

Atakilt Wat - Ethiopian Vegetable Stew

 

I don't eat nearly enough Ethiopian food but when I do, I always get Atakilt Wat, a gloriously spiced combo of cabbage, carrots and potatoes. One cold winter night when I was craving it, I concocted this riff on the Ethiopian classic - I added ground chicken thighs and used bone broth to increase the protein. You can play with how much broth you add to make it more or less stew-like. 

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil or ghee
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 3 medium or 2 large carrots peeled and cut into circles
  • 1 lb tiny potatoes parboiled or 1-2 regular potatoes cubed and parboiled
  • 1 small cabbage cored and sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt, more to taste
  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½-1 16.9 oz carton of Kettle & Fire bone broth or 1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth (more broth = soupier)
  • Protein option: 1 lb. ground chicken thigh

Instructions 

  1. If adding the ground chicken, brown the chicken in a large stock pot over medium heat, season with a pinch of sea salt. Once browned, remove from pot with a slotted spoon into a bowl and set aside. Leave any drippings in the pot.
  2. Add the olive oil or ghee and heat for 30 seconds or so.
  3. Stir in the onions and sauté for 1 minute. Add the minced garlic and stir until fragrant.
  4. Add the carrot coins, parboiled potatoes, and cabbage. Sprinkle on the salt, turmeric, cumin, and black pepper. Stir to combine and sauté for 5 minutes.
  5. Add the broth. (more broth = soupier, how I like mine)
  6. Let simmer until the carrots are fork tender.
  7. Add in the sautéed ground chicken if using.
  8. Stir well to combine and adjust the salt as needed.