Ethiopian · lunch, dinner

Gomen Besiga (Ethiopian Collard Greens with Beef)

ጎመን በስጋ

Video by Melegna | መለኛ on YouTube, in Amharic · Open on YouTube

80 minServes 4548 kcal a serve
  • Gluten-free ingredients
  • Nut-free

Contains: Milk. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.

51 g protein, 8 g fibre and 18 g net carbs a serve: beef simmered with a big pot of collard greens, which also make it rich in vitamins K, C and A.

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Ingredients 14

Method

The cook speaks Amharic; every step is written here in English. Tap a time to watch that step on YouTube.

  1. Strip the gomen leaves off their tough stalks (keep the tender stems) and wash the leaves well in plenty of water. 0:45
  2. Put the beef in a large pot with the water, cover and boil until the meat starts to soften. 2:30
  3. Pile the greens on top of the beef, press them down as they wilt, cover and simmer, stirring now and then, until the leaves are soft. 3:10
  4. Stir in the chopped garlic, then the oil, and keep simmering with the lid on. 4:30
  5. Add the chopped red onion, stir it through, cover and cook until it softens into the greens. 5:55
  6. Season with the rosemary, black pepper, mitmita, cinnamon, ginger and salt, then stir in the niter kibbeh. 6:55
  7. Add the sliced green chillies and cook a few minutes more, until most of the liquid has cooked away and the greens are tender. 7:40
  8. Serve hot, in a warmed clay dish if you have one. 8:15

Tip. Serves 4 (our estimate). The cook likes some pieces on the bone for flavour. Traditionally eaten with injera and extra mitmita on the side; lamb works well instead of beef.

The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.

One serve gives you 1 of 4

Energy548 kcal2,290 kJ
Protein51 g101% of a day
Fibre7.8 g28% of a day
Carbohydrate25 g18 g net · 7.1 g sugars9% of a day
Fat30 g7.2 g saturated38% of a day
Sodium540 mg23% of a day

Where the energy comes from one serve

  • Net carbs 13%
  • Protein 37%
  • Fat 50%

Low carb: under 26% of the energy is from carbs.

Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more

Vitamin K High502%

603 µg a serve, mostly from gomen (97%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.

Vitamin C High220%

198 mg a serve, mostly from gomen (91%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.

Vitamin B12 High149%

3.6 µg a serve, mostly from stewing beef (100%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.

Omega-3 High111%

1.8 g a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (81%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.

Zinc High110%

12 mg a serve, mostly from stewing beef (90%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.

Selenium High89%

49 µg a serve, mostly from stewing beef (93%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.

Vitamin B6 High78%

1.3 mg a serve, mostly from stewing beef (50%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.

Vitamin A High44%

400 µg a serve, mostly from gomen (90%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.

Iron High39%

6.9 mg a serve, mostly from stewing beef (57%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.

Folate High30%

121 µg a serve, mostly from gomen (77%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.

Potassium High29%

1350 mg a serve, mostly from gomen (55%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.

Vitamin E High29%

4.4 mg a serve, mostly from vegetable oil (63%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.

Magnesium High28%

116 mg a serve, mostly from gomen (61%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.

Calcium High23%

297 mg a serve, mostly from gomen (76%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.

Show the other 1
Vitamin D1%

0.1 µg a serve, mostly from stewing beef (100%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.

Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works

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Recipe and video by Melegna | መለኛ; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.