Ethiopian-style Collard Greens

Collard greens are delicious and very nutritious, too! They are a classic dish in the American South as well as in countries such as Ethiopia.

I am a huge fan of Ethiopian food, but it's so hard to cook it, because I lack all the signature spices! The original recipe called for nitter kibbeh, which is basically a spiced and clarified butter that's been strained multiple times. This is a recipe for Ethiopian collard greens, or gomen, that's made with a quick nitter kibbeh substitute.

I was amazed at how a HUGE bunch of greens turned into just 2 cups of cooked gomen!

=Ingredients=
-1 bunch collard greens (they're big!)
-1 Tbsp clarified butter (you can buy ghee, Indian clarified butter, at Whole Foods. Or, you can make it yourself!)
-Several good shakes of powdered garlic and ginger
(Or 2-3 cloves fresh garlic & 1/4" of ginger, minced)
-Just a dash each of: powdered cumin, cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, allspice, cardamom
-Freshly ground salt & pepper to taste

=Steps=
PREPARING THE COLLARDS
For experienced cooks: Trim off the stems and chop; separate. Roughly slice greens into bite-size pieces and wash all.

1. While the collards are still bound together, chop off the bottom inch of stem.
2. Chop off the stems (it's okay to have some greens attached), then chop stems into half-inch pieces. Set aside.
3. Slice the greens width-wise into ribbons. Slice about halfway down the length, then turn the slices 90 degrees and slice the ribbons into smaller chunks. Repeat for the unsliced greens.
4. You may need two mixing bowls for this! Place greens into large bowl & fill with water. Swish to help loosen the soil and let soak for 10 minutes. (You can "triple wash" them by adding a little salt and vinegar.) Soak the stems in a small bowl.
5. Give a final swish, then rinse collards by handfuls in a colander to remove all grit. Transfer to a clean container after rinsing. Keep stems separate!

COOKING THE COLLARDS
1. In a pot, heat the butter on medium heat. Add all spices and the stems. Sautee 2-3 minutes.
2. Add 1 cup of hot water and cook until boiling. Then start putting the greens in a handful at a time, letting them steam and wilt before adding the next handful. Stir occasionally to distribute seasonings. The pot should not be full.
3. When all the greens are looking cooked, check to see there's a layer of water at the bottom. The amount is not important as long as it doesn't go dry and burn.
4. SHUTTLE CHEF: Put the lid on and simmer for 2 minutes. Place in Shuttle Chef for several hours, then reheat and enjoy!
4b. REGULAR: Add another 1/2 cup of water and put the lid on. Reduce to a low simmer and cook for several hours, stirring every 30 minutes and making sure it doesn't go dry.

WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE: The greens will be yellow-green, but no worries -- unlike broccoli, Brussels sprouts or other Brassica greens, collards taste just as good when cooked for a long time. You can't really overcook them!

Serve as a side or with several other Ethiopian stewed dishes like shiro (my favorite)! If you can't get or make injera yourself, eat it with pita bread, rice, or some other starch! Enjoy!