MENU – All recipes below!
Misir Wat – Spiced Red Lentils
Gomen – Sautéed Bitter Greens
Ingudai Tibs – Mushroom Sauté
Injera – Teff Flatbread
Niter Kibbeh – Spiced Oil
Berbere Spice Blend
Plant-Based Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Oil)
Makes 1 cup/250 mL
What you’ll need…
¾ cup (185 mL) organic, fair-trade coconut oil
¼ cup (60 mL) organic, sustainable red palm oil *see notes below
1-2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped red onion
2 tsp (10 mL) chopped fresh ginger (or 1 tsp/5 mL dried)
½ tsp (2.5 mL) cinnamon
½ tsp (2.5 mL) fenugreek seeds (or ¼ tsp/1.25 mL ground) *see notes below
½ tsp (2.5 mL) dried oregano
½ tsp (2.5 mL) turmeric
¼ tsp (2.5 mL) black peppercorns
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) ground cardamom (or 2-3 whole pods, crushed)
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves or allspice (or 1 whole)
What to do…
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over low heat.
- Infuse oils, barely simmering, for at least 30 minutes or up to an hour.
- Slowly pour through a mesh strainer (lined with cheesecloth if you want) into a storage jar. Do not press the mixture in the strainer, you don’t want excess moisture from the onions coming out. Allow to drip through naturally for 10-20 minutes.
- Store in the fridge for up to a month.
Notes…
- If you don’t have every spice don’t worry about it! This recipe can be made to suit your taste; add more of the spices you like and omit anything you can’t source or don’t enjoy.
- Red palm oil is highly nutritious and loaded with antioxidants. Great for high heat cooking, it imparts a unique flavour to dishes. It is not traditional in Ethiopian cuisine, and is not crucial for making this dish. Use more coconut oil if you don’t want to buy this ingredient. Here it adds depth of flavour, antioxidants and richer colour. When buying red palm oil, make sure it is sustainably sourced and orangutan friendly!
- Fenugreek is a seed used in many traditional spice blends around the globe; most recognizable as the distinct flavour in yellow curry dishes from India. There is no substitute for fenugreek. If you can’t find it, or don’t want a big package for ¼ tsp, leave it out; the food will still be plenty tasty.
Berbere Spice Blend
Makes roughly ¼ cup/60 mL
What you’ll need…
2 tbsp (30 mL) paprika (sweet or hot)
2 tsp (10 mL) ground coriander
2 tsp (10 mL) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 mL) cayenne pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) ground ginger
½ tsp (2.5 mL) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2.5 mL) ground turmeric
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) ground allspice
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) ground cardamom
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) ground fenugreek (optional)
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) ground black pepper
What to do…
- Combine all ingredients. Store in an airtight container.
Notes…
- There is no one recipe for Berbere Spice; each area or family has their own blend. Adjust quantities to suit your taste! If you don’t have or can’t find anything, it can be omitted; the first 5 ingredients are more essential than the smaller quantities.
- If you have any of the above spices whole, and not ground; here are quantities before grinding: 1 ½ tsp (7.5 mL) coriander seed, 1 ½ tsp (7.5 mL) cumin seeds, 1” piece of cinnamon stick, 1 whole allspice berry, 1 cardamom pod seeds removed, scant ¼ tsp (1.25 mL) whole fenugreek, 2-3 whole black peppercorns. Grind whole spices in a spice grinder or mortar and pestle. Sift out any large pieces with a mesh strainer. Combine with remaining ingredients.
Misir Wat (Ethiopian Spiced Red Lentils)
Makes 3-4 servings
What you’ll need…
2 tbsp (30 mL) Niter Kibbeh *recipe above
1 cooking onion, finely diced
2-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp (10 mL) minced fresh ginger
1 tbsp (15 mL) Berbere spice *recipe above
2 tbsp (30 mL) tomato paste
2 cups (500 mL) water or vegetable broth
1 cup (250 mL) red lentils
1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt (less if using salted broth!)
What to do…
- In a medium pot, heat niter kibbeh over medium. Add onion, garlic and ginger; sauté until starting to soften.
- Stir through berbere spice for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and stir constantly for another 30 seconds.
- Add remaining ingredients to the pot. Bring to simmer; stirring often to ensure the lentils don’t stick to the bottom. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20-30 minutes or until lentils are soft.
Gomen (Ethiopian Sautéed Bitter Greens)
Makes 3-4 servings
What you’ll need…
2 tbsp (30 mL) Niter Kibbeh *recipe above
1 cooking onion, thinly sliced
2-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 green chili or jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp (5 mL) minced fresh ginger
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cumin
1 tsp (5 mL) ground coriander
½ tsp sea salt
1 bunch collard greens, or any bitter leafy greens, roughly chopped *see notes below
What to do…
- In a large sauté pan, heat niter kibbeh over medium. Add sliced onion and sauté 2-3 minutes or until softened.
- Add garlic, chili and minced fresh ginger; cook 1-2 minutes longer or until very fragrant. Stir through spices and sea salt.
- Carefully incorporate the chopped greens to the pan; it will be very full until they begin to wilt. To speed wilting, cover the pan with a lid. If this isn’t possible, just stir frequently until they cook down.
- Continue to sauté until greens are tender; this will vary depending on what is being used. Collards and kale take much longer than swiss chard or dandelion greens.
Notes…
- Any bitter leafy green vegetable can be used here; great options include: any kind of kale, dandelion greens, swiss chard or any greens you like! You’ll need about 6-8 cups chopped as it cooks down a lot.
Ingudai Tibs (Ethiopian Mushroom Sauté)
Makes 3-4 servings
What you’ll need…
2-3 tbsp (30-45 mL) Niter Kibbeh *recipe above
3 cups (750 mL) mushrooms, cut into bite-sized pieces *see notes below
1 red onion, chopped
½ red pepper, diced
2-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) chopped fresh ginger (or 1½ tsp/7.5 mL dried)
1 tbsp (15 mL) Berbere spice *recipe above
¾ tsp (3.75 mL) sea salt
1 tomato, diced
What to do…
- In a large non-stick sauté pan, heat 2 tbsp/30 mL niter kibbeh over medium-high. Add mushrooms (see notes for other options) and sauté 5-7 minutes, stirring often, or until moisture has mostly evaporated and everything is nicely browned. Remove mushrooms from the pan and set aside.
- Return pan to medium heat. Add remaining niter kibbeh, diced onion and red pepper. Sauté 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, or until softened and lightly browned.
- Add garlic and ginger to the pan. Sauté 30-60 seconds, stirring constantly, or until fragrant. Stir through Berbere spice and sea salt; cook briefly.
- Return sautéed mushrooms to the pan along with any juices in the bottom of the bowl. Add diced tomato. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring often, or until everything is nicely combined and the tomatoes are starting to break down. Serve with injera.
Notes…
- For the most “meaty” texture use king oyster, portobello and/or shiitake mushrooms. Any mushroom will work though; use what you like.
- Not a fan of mushrooms? Replace with one of the following options cut into bite-sized pieces: zucchini, cauliflower florets, firm tofu, more onions and peppers, or any veggies you like! Cook time will need to be adjusted as most of these options won’t cook at the same rate as mushrooms. Sauté whatever you decide to use until softened slightly and starting to brown; then follow the remainder of the recipe as written.
Injera (Ethiopian Teff Flatbread)
Makes 4-5 servings
What you’ll need…
1 ½ cups (375 mL) whole grain teff flour *see notes below
2 ¼ cups (560 mL) water
1 probiotic capsule, optional *see notes below
¾ tsp (3.75 mL) baking powder
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) sea salt
What to do…
- Quick & Easy Injera: In a medium bowl, whisk together teff flour, 2 cups (500 mL) water, baking powder and sea salt. If needed, add more water to achieve a “crêpe batter” like consistency. Skip to step 5 below.
- Overnight Injera: In a medium bowl, whisk together teff flour, water and contents of one probiotic capsule. Cover loosely, allowing some air circulation, and set aside at room temperature for 6-24 hours. Don’t stir it at this point.
- When ready to prepare the injera: Slowly pour off the layer of water covering the batter; some can remain behind. Be careful not to pour off any of the batter underneath!
- Whisk in baking powder and sea salt. If needed, add more water to achieve a “crêpe batter” like consistency.
- Heat a non-stick crêpe or frying pan over medium-high. Add some coconut or avocado oil. Pour in enough batter to mostly cover the bottom of the pan; swirl gently to even out.
- Cook 2-3 minutes; small bubbles should form across the surface, top will look dry and edges will deepen in colour considerably. DO NOT TRY TO FLIP TOO SOON!!!
- Carefully flip injera and cook 2-3 minutes longer.
Notes…
- Teff is the world’s smallest grain and has been a staple of the Ethiopian diet for centuries. You can make flatbread with any flour, but “Ingera” needs to be made with teff. Teff flour comes in whole grain (brown) or refined (ivory) varieties. Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Teff Flour is available at many larger grocery stores, also available online.
- Traditional injera batter is fermented for several days to encourage the growth of natural yeasts and probiotic bacteria. This creates a “sourdough” like flavour, boots digestibility and adds natural leavening. Injera can be made immediately by mixing teff, water and baking powder to a crêpe batter consistency. This option is quick and easy, but lacks any depth of flavour. Adding the contents of a probiotic capsule and fermenting 6-24 hours develops a more traditional flavour without taking 3-5 days. Baking powder adds leavening and is essential if not preparing a traditional fermented batter.
Basic Green Salad Dressing
Makes 1/3 cup/80 mL
What you’ll need…
3 tbsp (45 mL) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 mL) white wine or apple cider vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp (5 mL) minced fresh ginger
¼ tsp (1.25 mL) sea salt
black pepper, to taste
What to do…
- Mix together all ingredients. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
- Toss dressing with green leaf lettuce, sliced onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, tomato, cucumber or any fresh ingredients you like.
