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Goat Wat

Serves 4 to 6 Entree meat

Goat Wat

Goat Wat finds its roots in the everyday cooking of Ethiopian countryside feasts, where its inviting aroma calls friends and family to gather around the table. This dish embodies the essence of rural hospitality, offering a direct and generous flavor profile that highlights the expertise of a family cook. The home version preserves these authentic tastes, ensuring each bite is a celebration of tradition.

Expect a robust and hearty stew, where the tender goat shoulder melds seamlessly with the warmth of berbere and the richness of niter kibbeh. The subtle sharpness of ginger and garlic provides depth, while the tomato paste adds a gentle acidity. Serve this comforting dish with injera, allowing the sour, spongy bread to soak up every bit of the flavorful sauce.

Ingredients

  • 900 g (2 lb)bone-in goat shoulder — cut into serving pieces
  • 3 tbspberbere
  • 2red onions — very finely chopped
  • 4 clovesgarlic — minced
  • 1 tbspfresh ginger — minced
  • 3 tbspniter kibbeh
  • 2 tbsptomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cupswater or beef broth
  • 1 tspfine salt
  • as neededinjera — for serving

Method

  1. Start by finely chopping 2 red onions. Peel and mince 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger. Cut the 900 g (2 lb) bone-in goat shoulder into manageable pieces, ensuring each piece has some bone for flavor.
  2. Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onions to the dry pot and cook them slowly, stirring frequently. Allow the onions to sweat and soften without browning, until they become translucent and their natural sweetness emerges, about 10 minutes.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons of niter kibbeh to the pot with the onions. Stir until the onions are coated and the niter kibbeh melts, creating a golden base. This step infuses the onions with a rich, buttery flavor.
  4. Stir in 3 tablespoons of berbere, followed by the minced garlic and ginger. Cook the mixture for a few minutes until the spices bloom and become fragrant, releasing their deep, earthy aroma.
  5. Add the goat pieces to the pot, stirring to coat them in the spiced onion mixture. Brown the meat on all sides, ensuring the spices adhere to the goat, which will enhance the flavor as it cooks.
  6. Mix in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, stirring well to combine with the meat and spices. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water or beef broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to enrich the sauce.
  7. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it cook slowly until the goat is tender and the sauce has thickened, about 1 to 1.5 hours. The meat should easily pull away from the bone, and the sauce should be rich and flavorful.
  8. Taste the wat and adjust the seasoning with 1 teaspoon of fine salt, or to your preference. Serve the Goat Wat hot with fresh injera, allowing the bread to soak up the savory sauce.
Cover of Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Ethiopian volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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