Most non-meat Ethiopian dishes have a stew or paste-like consistency.
Their juices soak into the injera, which is later eaten. This is a spiced
puree made of red lentils. *Note: this is
not actually dazee's recipe. Nor is misr allecha his favorite Ethiopian dish,
though he'll eat it happily if it's placed in his cell. I am merely pleasing
him. He's just always wanted a recipe named after him.
What You Need:
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1/3 cup onion, chopped
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2 garlic cloves finely minced or pressed
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1 tablespoon niter kebbeh
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1 cup red lentils (masoor dal), picked over, rinsed and drained
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1/2 teaspoon turmeric
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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3 teaspoons seeded and finely chopped jalapeño peppers
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4 cups water (adjusted as necessary)
What You Do:
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In a medium saucepan, soak red lentils for one hour in three cups of the water.
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Bring the lentils and water to boil and cook for 30 minutes until the lentils are soft,
adding more water if necessary. Drain off any extra water and mash.
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Heat the niteh kebbeh in another pan over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic
and cook for 3 minutes. Add the mashed lentils, turmeric, salt and hot pepper. Stir well.
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Add the remaining cup of water (or less, pour slowly) and cook for 3-4 more minutes more
to reduce the mixture to a thick, well spiced puree.
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Serve warm with injera.