Ethiopian Doro Wat with Injera

Doro Wat is one of the most popular traditional Ethiopian delicacies. It is basically red meat curry. Wat means spicy stew or curry. This curry has many variations depending on main ingredients like vegetables, lamb, chicken, beef etc. Other core ingredients for this Doro Wat are Berbere paste and niter kibbeh. This berbere is a thick paste of onion, garlic and different spices which are mixed with oil. Niter Kibbeh is seasoned clarified butter or ghee.

Though Doro Wat has much similarity in spices with Indian Mutton curry, it is not similar in taste. It is because of the cooking technique. Doro Wat cooking procedure is unique and fat free at the first stage of cooking. Chopped onion is sauteed  in a dry skillet without any fat by using slow cooking and then niter kibbeh or clarified butter is added as fat.

Doro Wat is traditionally served with Injera and Hardboiled eggs. Sometimes lime wedges are also served.

Here is the recipe of Doro Wat.

Ingredients:

Mutton: 500 gms. with bone and without fat

Berbere paste: ½ cup, store bought or homemade

Finely chopped red onion: 1, large

Red chili powder: 1 tbsp

Ginger paste: 1 tsp

Freshly crushed garlic: 1 tsp

Tomato puree: 2 tbsp

Butter: 2 tbsp

Hardboiled egg: 4

Mutton stock or boiling water: 4-5 cups

Lime juice: ½ lime

Ingredients for Berbere paste:

Large onion: 1, roughly chopped

Garlic pod: 8-10, small

Dry red chili: 4-5

Cumin seeds: 1 tsp

Fenugreek seeds: 1 tsp

Cloves: ½ tsp

Cinnamon stick: 1”

Green cardamom: 4-5

Black cardamom: 1

Nutmeg: 1 tsp

White pepper powder: 1 tsp

Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 tsp

Turmeric powder: 1 tsp

Oil: 1/3 cup

Water: 3-4 tbsp

Preparation of Berbere paste:

Take a large iron skillet over medium flame. Add all dry ingredients except the powders and dry roast them until fragrant but don’t let it burn. Once done remove the dry roasted spices from the heat immediately and keep on a flat surface to let it cool down a bit.

De-seed the red chilies and chop finely.

Make a coarse paste of onion and garlic.

Add dry roasted spices.

Make a fine paste all together with 2-3 tbsp of water. Don’t add too much water otherwise the paste will be watery and will lose its texture.

Now mix this paste with the specified amount of oil and your berbere paste is ready. You can l store it in any air tight container for up to 1 week in refrigerator. You can also freeze this paste for later use.

Preparation of Doro Wat:

Wash and clean the mutton. Marinade with lime juice, salt and half of the red chili powder for overnight.

Take a large non-stick pan/wok. Heat butter in it.

Add rest of the red chili powder into the hot butter and mix well to get the rich red color in the gravy.

Add chopped onion and crushed garlic. Sauté for few mins.

Add ginger paste and mix well.

Wait for onion to become translucent and oil to separate from spices.

Now add berbere paste and mix well.

Cook the berbere paste with onion and spices uncovered on medium flame.

When you can spot oil is separating from the mixture add tomato puree.

Continue cooking uncovered for another 4-5 mins or until raw smell of tomato is gone,

Add mutton pieces and fry them until mutton is fried well and oil is oozing out from the edges.

Add hard-boiled eggs and mutton stock/water into the pan.

Cover and cook for 45-60 mins or until mutton is done neatly.

Once mutton is done add salt and adjust the seasoning.

Doro Wat or Spicy Mutton Stew is done to be served hot with warm Injera.