Ethiopian Doro Wat
Bone-in chicken and scored hard-boiled eggs simmered in a thick sauce of slowly cooked onions, berbere, garlic, ginger and niter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter). Served with injera.
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks, skinned
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- 1 tsp fine salt
Stew
- 1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) red or brown onions, very finely chopped
- 75 g (⅓ cup) niter kibbeh, or 60 g butter plus 1 tbsp oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely grated
- 30 g (2 in) piece fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3–4 tbsp (20–25 g) berbere
- 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste (optional)
- 120 ml (½ cup) dry red wine or tej (optional)
- 500 ml (2 cups) chicken stock or water
- 1 tsp fine salt, or to taste
- ½ tsp ground cardamom (optional)
- 6 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
Quick niter kibbeh (about 180 g)
- 225 g (1 cup) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp grated fresh ginger
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp dried basil or oregano
Instructions
- For the niter kibbeh, simmer all its ingredients very gently for 30–40 minutes until the butter is clear, then strain.
- Slash the chicken, toss with the lemon juice and salt and leave 20–30 minutes.
- Cook the onions in a dry heavy pot over medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring, until collapsed.
- Add the niter kibbeh and cook 25–35 minutes more, stirring regularly, until deep golden and jammy.
- Add the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then the berbere and tomato paste for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Add the wine, if using, and bubble 1–2 minutes.
- Add the chicken, stock, salt and cardamom. Cover and simmer gently for 40–45 minutes until very tender.
- Score the eggs, add them and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until the stew is thick.
- Adjust the salt and rest 10 minutes. Serve with injera.
Notes
- Taste your berbere first. Blends vary in heat and salt.
- Boneless thighs: simmer 25–30 minutes.
- Keeps 3 days in the fridge and often tastes better the next day.
- Freeze without the eggs for up to 3 months. Add freshly boiled eggs when reheating.
- Niter kibbeh keeps a month in the fridge.