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EthiopianAuthentic Cuisine

Key Wat

Serves 4 to 6 Entree meat

Key Wat

Key Wat is a staple of Ethiopian home cooking, gracing tables with its rich aroma that invites everyone to gather. This dish is a celebration of everyday flavors, prepared with care and shared by family cooks across the country. Its presence is a familiar comfort, resonating with the warmth of Ethiopian hospitality.

The stew is a symphony of tender beef, deeply infused with the heat of berbere and the warmth of niter kibbeh. Red onions and fresh ginger add layers of complexity, while green chilies provide a fresh kick. Served with injera, the soft, spongy bread balances the bold flavors, making each bite a harmonious blend of spice and texture.

Ingredients

  • 800 g (1 3/4 lb)beef chuck or stewing beef — cut into 3 cm cubes
  • 3 tbspberbere
  • 2red onions — very finely chopped
  • 4 clovesgarlic — minced
  • 1 tbspfresh ginger — minced
  • 3 tbspniter kibbeh
  • 2 tbsptomato paste
  • 2green chilies — slit
  • 1 1/2 cupswater or beef broth
  • 1 tspfine salt
  • as neededinjera — for serving

Method

  1. Begin by finely chopping 2 red onions and mincing 4 cloves of garlic and 1 tablespoon of fresh ginger. Set these aside separately as they will be added at different stages. Slice 2 green chilies into thin rounds, removing seeds if you prefer less heat.
  2. Place a large, heavy-bottomed pot on medium heat and add the chopped onions. Cook them dry, stirring frequently, until they become soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. This slow cooking without oil allows the onions to release their natural sugars, enhancing the dish's sweetness.
  3. Add 3 tablespoons of niter kibbeh to the pot with the onions. Stir until the niter kibbeh melts and the onions turn a golden color, creating a rich base for the stew. This step infuses the onions with the spiced butter's flavors.
  4. Stir in 3 tablespoons of berbere, followed by the minced garlic and ginger. Cook for about 2 minutes until the spices bloom and release their aroma, creating a fragrant base. This step is crucial for developing the dish's characteristic depth of flavor.
  5. Add 800 g (1 3/4 lb) of beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into bite-sized pieces, to the pot. Stir to coat the beef in the spiced onion mixture, allowing it to brown slightly on all sides. This browning adds a layer of flavor to the meat.
  6. Mix in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, ensuring it is well incorporated into the beef and onion mixture. Pour in 1 1/2 cups of water or beef broth, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
  7. Cover the pot and let the stew simmer gently for about 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. The sauce should have a deep, rich red color and a thick consistency.
  8. Taste the stew and add 1 teaspoon of fine salt, adjusting to your preference. Stir in the sliced green chilies, allowing them to soften slightly in the residual heat. Serve the Key Wat hot with fresh injera, letting the bread soak up the flavorful 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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