# Today's Recipe: Ethiopian Beef Stew



## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

This recipe came to me thru an issue of Sunset Magazine which I was leafing through while waiting for my car to get an oil change. I've made it a couple of times and really enjoyed it. It's easy and quite tasty. This is the original recipe as printed in the magazine, although I added the note about mixing fresh and ground ginger and using other types of pepper along with or instead of cayenne. Over the past couple of years I've modified it slightly for my own taste and preferences in a few other ways as well.

Shel

*Ethiopian Beef Stew in Spicy Berbere Sauce*

This hearty stew is even easier to make than the classic American version. Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes prep, plus 2 hours cook time. 

Notes: A generous dose of cayenne gives this stew a lively heat. If you prefer milder spice, reduce the amount to 1 or 2 teaspoons. Try grinding and using some other dried, red chilies and use with, or instead of, cayenne. Aleppo peppers might be nice. 
2 medium onions, quartered lengthwise
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (try adding a little ginger powder as well)
1 tablespoon each ground paprika and cayenne (see notes)
1 teaspoon each ground cumin and fenugreek (optional; see "Ethiopian Cooking 101," below)
1/2 teaspoon each ground turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom
1/4 teaspoon each ground cloves and allspice
1 can (14 1/2 oz.) crushed tomatoes in purée (I lke fire roasted tomatoes)
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 1/2 pounds boned beef chuck, fat trimmed, cut into 3/4-inch chunks
Salt

1. In a food processor, pulse onions until very finely diced (almost puréed).
2. Melt butter in 4- to 5-quart pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir until browned, about 10 minutes.
3. Add ginger, paprika, cayenne, cumin, fenugreek, turmeric, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and allspice; stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes, wine, and beef; bring to a simmer, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until beef is very tender when pierced, about 2 hours. Add salt to taste. Wherever possible, toast and grind spices fresh.

*Ethiopian cooking 101:*

*Berbere:* This heady spice mixture is the basis for all Ethiopian cooking. It can feature clove, cayenne, ginger, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon, among other spices. Ground fenugreek seeds, which add a mildly sweet flavor, are also typical. Buy them at Middle Eastern markets or from Penzeys Spices ($1.09 per 1/4-cup jar; PENZEYS Spices Home Page).

*Injera:* Authentic injera is made from fermented teff, a grain common in Ethiopia. The bread's spongy, bubbly texture is similar to that of a pancake. If authenticity is your aim, you can buy teff flour from Abyssinian Market ( abyssiniamarket.com).

*Tej:* This Ethiopian honey wine is the traditional match for spicy stews, but few retailers in the United States carry authentic imported tej. You can buy a bottle at many Ethiopian restaurants, but an accessible alternative is off-dry Riesling, which pairs beautifully with the spicy beef stew. Our favorite: Spätlese Rieslings from Germany's Mosel region.


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## bluezebra (May 19, 2007)

shel I adore Ethiopian food!!!!! I recently found some cool sites for Ethiopian recipes but can't remember if I've ever posted it here or if it was on another site. Let me know if you want me to post it.

I soooo love injera with meat and vegetable stews and lentils!!!!


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## shel (Dec 20, 2006)

This one's a good recipe - I sometimes use hotter chiles than cayenne, either by themselves or, more often, in concert with the cayenne. I also liked it with paprika agridulce de La Vera, which is a medium heat smoked paprika from the La Vera area in Spain. I've sometimes browned the meat first, done the fond thing, and ended up with a very tasty dish.

Sure, post the site(s). I have a couple of sites bookmarked as well:

ethiopia cooking anthropology of food
Ethiopian Cooking

Kind regards,

Shel


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## bluezebra (May 19, 2007)

W4E: Ethiopian Recipes and the Cooking of Ethiopia

and I can't find the other one. It may be the anthropology of food that is your link... but it's not working. 

ethiopia cooking anthropology of food


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