Misir Wat

The story

Misir Wat is a Ethiopian main with a clear sense of place. Misir wat is a staple Ethiopian lentil dish and one of the most familiar components of a fasting or mixed platter. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 400 g red lentils
• 400 g red onionsfinely chopped
• 70 g niter kibbeh or sunflower oil
• 35 g berbere
• 15 g Garlicgrated
• 12 g gingergrated
• 30 g tomato paste
• 1200 ml water or vegetable stock
• 1.5 tsp fine salt

Method

1. Rinse the lentils until the water runs

   Rinse the lentils until the water runs mostly clear. Drain while the onions cook.

   Look for: the water runs mostly clear Tip: Keep hot water beside the stove and add it in stages as the lentils swell. Avoid: Adding all water at once can leave the stew soupy; burnt berbere tastes harsh; insufficient onion cooking gives a flat base.

2. Cook onions in a heavy pot without

   Cook onions in a heavy pot without fat for 12–15 minutes, stirring and adding tiny splashes of water as they soften. Add niter kibbeh or oil and cook another 5 minutes.

3. Stir in berbere, garlic, ginger and tomato

   Stir in berbere, garlic, ginger and tomato paste. Fry gently for 2 minutes, keeping the mixture moving so the chilli does not scorch.

4. Add lentils and 900 ml water

   Add lentils and 900 ml water. Bring to a simmer and cook 25–30 minutes, stirring more often as the lentils break down.

5. Add remaining water only as needed

   Add remaining water only as needed. Misir wat should finish as a thick stew, not a thin lentil soup. Season with salt near the end.

6. Rest 5 minutes before serving

   Rest 5 minutes before serving; the lentils continue thickening off the heat. Spoon in a mound on injera.

   Look for: The stew holds a soft mound on injera and no individual lentil has a hard centre.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.