ሓምሊ - Hamili Recipe

Wash and trim spinach

Rinse the spinach thoroughly under cold running water to remove grit. Trim thick stems if present. Shake off excess water and roughly chop the leaves if large (leave baby spinach whole).

Prep aromatics and tomato

Peel and thinly slice the garlic. Finely chop the green chilies (remove seeds for milder heat). If using tomato, dice it finely. Squeeze 2 tablespoons lemon juice and set aside.

Warm oil and sweat garlic

Heat 4 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil in a wide deep skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook gently, stirring, until fragrant and just turning lightly golden, about 1–2 minutes. Do not let it brown darkly.

Add chilies and tomato

Add the chopped green chilies to the pan and sauté for 30 seconds. If using tomato, add the diced tomato now and cook 2–3 minutes until it softens and releases some juices.

Add spinach in batches

Add the spinach in batches, piling it into the pan — it will wilt significantly. After each addition, toss or stir to combine with the oil, garlic and chilies. Continue until all spinach is in the pan.

Simmer briefly

Pour in 100 ml of water, stir, cover the pan partially, and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the spinach steam and simmer gently for 4–6 minutes until completely wilted and tender. Stir once or twice to ensure even cooking.

Season and finish with lemon

Remove the lid, add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in the 2 tablespoons lemon juice and cook uncovered 1 more minute to meld flavors. If you like more heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes now.

Transfer the Hamili to a serving bowl. Drizzle the reserved 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil over the top and serve with lemon wedges on the side. Serve warm as a side dish or with injera, flatbread, or rice.