🇹 Ethiopian · Lentils, Beans & Vegetarian
🥔 Ethiopian Potato Alicha
ድንች አልጫ — Dinich Alicha
Ethiopian Potato Alicha — potatoes and onion cooked with turmeric, ginger, and garlic in a mild golden sauce without berbere. The filling, mild potato stew of Ethiopian fasting meals — turmeric-golden and fragrant with ginger.
Potato Alicha is the fasting-period filling staple — the potatoes absorb the turmeric and ginger and become deeply flavourful, providing sustained energy and fullness during long fasting days.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot
- 600g potatoes — peeled and cubed
- 2 onions — diced
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tbsp ginger
- 1 tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp oil
- ½ cup water
- 2 tsp salt
Method
- Heat oil. Cook onion until golden.
- Add garlic, ginger, turmeric, and pepper. Stir 1 minute.
- Add potatoes. Stir to coat.
- Add water. Cover. Cook 20—25 minutes.
- Potatoes should be very tender.
- Some should have partially dissolved — natural thickening.
- Season.
Chef Tips
- The potatoes that dissolve thicken the sauce naturally.
- No berbere — the turmeric colour and flavour is the point.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Under-cooking potatoes.
The Science
See ETH105 for potato dissolution science.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Potassium and vitamin C from potatoes.
- Turmeric anti-inflammatory.
- Very filling.
Cultural Note
Potato Alicha is fasting sustenance — the filling, energising stew that keeps the Orthodox faithful strong through the 200+ days of abstinence from meat and dairy.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 3 days.
Reheating: Gently with added water.
Serve with: Injera (ETH001), On the fasting platter, As a filling side dish