Ethiopian Lentil Stew Recipe
This utterly simple but appetizing Ethiopian Lentil Stew uses red lentils, berbere spice blend and niter kibbeh to create vibrant flavor that will linger on your tastebuds for a long, long time!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 127kcal
Equipment
- Saute pan or saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 cup red lentils (soaked for up to an hour. Drain out all water before use).
- 2 tablespoons vegan niter kibbeh (divided)
- 1 medium red onion (finely diced)
- 1 heaping tbsp ginger garlic paste (you can also crush 6 cloves garlic with a 1-inch knob of ginger into a paste)
- 2 medium tomatoes (finely diced)
- 1 tablespoon berbere
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Add diced onions to a dry saucepan set over medium heat. Add a teaspoon of salt and saute until onions become soft and start to brown.
- Stir in a tablespoon of the vegan niter kibbeh and ginger garlic paste. Saute for a couple of minutes.
- Add the tomatoes to the saucepan and mix them in. Cook for a few minutes until the tomatoes turn very soft and pulpy.
- Stir in the berbere, ground coriander and ground cumin. Mix and let the spices cook with the tomatoes and onions for a couple of minutes.
- Stir in the lentils and add two cups of water. Mix, bring to a boil, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the lentils are very soft and mushy. If needed add more water and/or reduce heat to medium low.
- Toward the end of cooking you can stir in the other tablespoon of niter kibbeh, if you like, for even more flavor. Also add more salt as needed. The stew is ready when it is very thick and bubbly and you see a few droplets of oil at the top. Turn off heat and serve hot or warm.
Notes
Helpful hints:
- You don't have to soak the lentils, but soaking will reduce the time needed to cook the lentils quite a bit. Drain out all of the soaking water before adding the lentils to the pot.
- If you use my berbere spice blend recipe, you likely will find this stew pleasantly spicy but not too spicy (unless you absolutely cannot tolerate heat). If you like spicy food, you can add some cayenne or paprika along with the other spices. You can add more berbere as well but taste the stew before you do.
- The consistency of most Ethiopian stews is very thick, so you can easily scoop them up with a piece of injera. But in your kitchen follow just one rule -- you need to love it! So if you like the lentil stew soupier add more water.
- You don't need a garnish but if you want to you can chop up some cilantro and add to the stew after turning off heat.
- Refrigerate: The stew can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freeze: This Ethiopian lentil stew freezes very well. Place it in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to four months.
- Reheat: If you have the time, thaw the stew in the refrigerator or for a few hours, then heat on the stove top or in the microwave. Add a little water if the stew is too thick.
Nutrition
Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Potassium: 320mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 273IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 3mg