OK. Yes. I know Ethiopian cuisine does not “stir fry”.
But in this humble chef’s opinion, the technique of heating some aromatics in a fat, and then adding some meat and veggies, shouldn’t be limited to just a few regional forms of cooking. Especially when the stir-fry can be such a quick and easy way to get your protein and fat while minimizing carbs, and allowing you to include a wide range of vegetation that benefits from high heat. Like kale, for example.
So if you have some beef and hard winter greens waiting to be cooked, give this very simple recipe a try. You can easily substitute the Ethiopian “berbere” spice for something else you have on hand — like even a Mexican beef seasoning packet left over from taco night. I think you’ll enjoy it no matter how you season the beef, but novelty is of course the spice of life.
Scale ingredient amounts up or down depending on needs. No need to follow the same ratio that I used, although tomato sauce should be minimized in order to control carbs.
Net Carbs: ~4g per bowl.
Ethiopian Ground Beef Stir-Fry with kale and onions
Print recipe
| Portions | 2 |
| Prep time | 10 minutes |
| Cook time | 15 minutes |
| Total time | 25 minutes |
| Dietary | Gluten Free, Ultra Low Carb |
| Meal type | Lunch, Main Dish |
| Misc | Serve Hot |
| Region | African |
| By author | Naomi Most |
Ingredients
- 1/2lb Ground beef (Best quality you can get)
- 1/4 cup Butter (Don't skimp on quality here either)
- 3 cups Chopped Kale or collard greens
- 1/2 cup Red onion, frenched or cubed
- 1/4 cup Puréed eggplant (from can)
- 3-4 tablespoons Berbere spice
- 1/8 teaspoon Salt
Directions
| Step 1 | |
| In a large saucepan (I use a nonstick wok, actually), melt the butter on low heat. When completely liquified, toss in the onions and sautée until translucent. | |
| Step 2 | |
| Pour in eggplant (if using) and stir together well. | |
| Step 3 | |
| Toss in the kale. Add a splash of water and then turn up the heat to medium. Stir to coat kale with butter and onions, then cover loosely to steam for about 8 minutes. | |
| Step 4 | |
| In a separate medium sized bowl, mix the ground beef with the berbere powder (or alternative spices). Try to make sure the flavoring is evenly spread through the beef. Use less powder if you prefer a milder taste, and up to twice the written amount if you like your food hot and spicy. | |
| Step 5 | |
| Remove the cover from the sautée pan. Kale should be fully wilted and cooked by now. Using your hands or a large spoon, break the beef into loose meatballs and toss them into the cooking kale and onion mixture. | |
| Step 6 | |
| Cook beef for as long as desired, stirring regularly. When at desired doneness, remove from heat. | |
| Step 7 | |
| Add the tomato sauce, stirring in to mix fully with the buttery, beefy sauce of the stir-fry. | |
| Step 8 | |
 Serve! | |
Special Ingredients
