Ethiopian Chickpea Stew with Berbere

This dish has a depth of flavor that is much appreciated! The broth is rich, and the dish itself is hearty.

Side note - as I was assembling this for the first time, I realized that I didn't know how to present it. And the recipe didn't provide any guidance. Over rice? With bread? So I visited the comments section online, where multiple people described this as the hottest dish they've ever eaten in their lives.

I disagree. Most of the heat will come from the berbere, so perhaps it depends on which berbere you buy. We actually make our own, since it's just a name for a mix of spices. And while there's heat, it's not painful. I encourage you to not be afraid!

Also, I wound up making chapatis as a quick bread to serve with the dish. That was helpful and I would recommend. I'd also serve this over rice in the future, for ease of eating.

Ethiopian Chickpea Stew

Milk Street

2	T red lentils
3	T ghee
1	yellow onion, chopped
1 pint	cherry tomatoes, halved
8 cloves	garlic, minced
2	T ginger, minced
2	T berbere
2	15.5 oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1	c parsley, chopped
1	jalapeno chiles, stemmed and chopped (opt)

In a spice grinder, pulse the lentils until finely ground, about 10 pulses; set aside. In a large saucepan over medium, melt the ghee. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, ginger and berbere. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have given up their liquid and the mixture is beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the chickpeas, ground lentils, 2 cups water and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Boil over medium-high, then reduce to medium and cook at a simmer, uncovered and stirring often, until the sauce clings to the chickpeas, about 15 minutes.

Off heat, stir in the parsley and chili (if using). Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Comments

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