Meat Firfir

Ingredients

• 6 piecesday-old injera — torn into bite-size pieces
• 400 g (14 oz)beef chuck — cut into small cubes
• 3 tbspberbere
• 1red onion — finely chopped
• 3 clovesgarlic — minced
• 2tomatoes — chopped
• 3 tbspniter kibbeh
• 1/2 cupwater
• 1 tspfine salt

Method

1. Tear the 6 pieces of day-old injera into bite-size pieces and set them aside in a large bowl. This will allow the injera to absorb the sauce evenly later.
2. Dice the 1 red onion finely. In a large skillet or sauté pan, melt 3 tablespoons of niter kibbeh over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes soft and golden, about 5 to 7 minutes. This will infuse the onion with the rich, spiced butter flavor.
3. Mince the 3 cloves of garlic and chop the 2 tomatoes into small cubes. Add the garlic to the softened onion and cook for another minute until fragrant. Then, add the chopped tomatoes and continue to cook until they break down and form a thick mixture, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in 3 tablespoons of berbere spice mix and add a splash of the 1/2 cup of water to the pan. Stir well to combine, and let the mixture simmer until it becomes a glossy, loose sauce. The sauce should be vibrant red and slightly thickened, indicating the spices are well integrated.
5. Cut the 400 g (14 oz) beef chuck into small, bite-sized pieces. Add the beef to the sauce, stirring to coat each piece thoroughly. Cook until the beef is tender and cooked through, absorbing the flavors of the sauce.
6. Once the beef is cooked, fold the torn injera pieces into the sauce. Stir gently to ensure every piece of injera is soaked and stained red with the sauce. The injera should be soft but not mushy, indicating it has absorbed the sauce properly.
7. Taste the dish and add 1 teaspoon of fine salt, adjusting as needed to enhance the flavors. Serve the Meat Firfir warm, directly from the pan, allowing the aroma to fill the room and invite everyone to the table.