DORO WOT: ETHIOPIAN BERBERE & CHICKEN STEW

Ingredients

• 1 pound of chicken thighs
• 2 full lemons, juiced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3 red onions, chopped incredibly finely or pulverized via food processor
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 inch piece of ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons niter kibbeh (see below)
• 2 tablespoons berbere
• 1½ cups of water
• 1 cup of sparkling water/club soda
• 4 hard boiled eggs
• 1 teaspoon makelesha (optional - see below)

Niter Kibbeh

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1¼ inch piece ginger, minced
• 2 cardamom pods, deseeded
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• ½ teaspoon dried fenugreek
• ½ teaspoon turmeric

Makelesha (Optional, but well worth it)

• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• ½ teaspoon cardamom seeds taken from cardamom pod
• ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
• ½ inch piece of cinnamon stick
• 3 whole cloves
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

How to Make

Stage 1 - Make the Makelesha

1. Heat the cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, and cloves over medium high heat until they start to become fragrant
2. Once fragrant, take off heat and add into a spice grinder or mortar and pestle with other ingredients. Grind finely into a powder

Stage 2 - Prepare the Niter Kibbeh

1. Heat the garlic, ginger, cardamom seeds, and cloves over medium heat in a small saucepan until fragrant
2. Once fragrant, take the pan off the heat and mix all niter kibbeh ingredients in a bowl together. Make sure the butter is at room temperature so that the ingredients can be easily mixable

Stage 3 - Prepare Your Doro Wot

1. Start by combining your chicken and lemon juice in a bowl. Rub the chicken with the lemon juice and sprinkle salt on top. Work well into the chicken, then set aside
2. Take a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onions. Stir the onions around frequently until they're translucent
3. Once the onions are a bit glossy, add the garlic, ginger, and niter kibbeh to the stockpot and stir until well mixed. Turn the heat down to low and let everything simmer together for 4-5 minutes
4. Next, add the berbere and 1 cup of regular water. Stir the berbere in thoroughly, cover the pot, and let sit for 30 minutes. Over the course of the 30 minutes, though, be sure to stir as frequently as every 2 minutes so as to not let anything cake at the bottom
5. After 30 minutes, add the 1 cup of sparkling water to the berbere and onions and mix around. Let simmer for another 5 or so minutes
6. Once the chicken is softened after at least 30 minutes, drain the lemon juice and add it to the stockpot
7. Cover the chicken with the mixture and let simmer for at least 45 minutes

Stage 4 - Prepare Hard Boiled Eggs for Doro Wot

1. As the stockpot with the chicken simmers, take another medium sized pot full of water and bring to a boil
2. Once boiling, add your eggs into the boiling water and let cook for 8-10 minutes in order to get a hard boil
3. Next, remove the hard-boiled eggs from the boiling water and submerge into ice water
4. When cooled, peel the hard boiled eggs from their shell and cut a small X shape into the bottom of the egg. This helps the egg capture more flavor from the doro wot
5. With 15 minutes left to go for the stockpot Doro Wot simmer, add the eggs and the final ½ cup of regular water. Stir well and cover the eggs with mixture
6. (Optional) After 15 minutes, taste the doro wot and add salt and pepper as you see fit. Add a teaspoon of the makelesha as well and stir. Let simmer for 5 mins or so before serving