Tuna Kitfo Style

Ingredients

• 500 g (1 lb)sushi-grade tuna — finely diced
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• 2 tbspmitmita — or more to taste
• 4 tbspniter kibbeh — gently warmed
• 1 cupfresh ayib cheese — optional, to serve alongside
• 2 cupscooked gomen collard greens — to serve alongside
• 1/2 tspfine salt
• as neededinjera — for serving

Method

1. Begin by trimming every scrap of sinew and fat from the 500 g (1 lb) sushi-grade tuna. This ensures a smooth texture and even flavor distribution. Once trimmed, mince or cube the tuna into small, uniform pieces while it is very cold. Keeping the tuna cold helps maintain its firmness and makes it easier to cut.
2. In a small saucepan, gently warm 4 tbsp of niter kibbeh over low heat until it becomes liquid. Be careful not to let it get too hot, as you don't want to cook the tuna. The niter kibbeh should be just warm enough to blend easily with the other ingredients.
3. Place the minced or cubed tuna in a large mixing bowl. Pour the warm niter kibbeh over the tuna, ensuring it coats the fish evenly. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of mitmita over the mixture and fold everything together gently until each piece of tuna glistens with the spice and butter mixture. This step infuses the tuna with the rich, spicy flavors characteristic of the dish.
4. Taste the tuna mixture for heat and salt, adding 1/2 tsp fine salt if needed. If you prefer the dish to be served leb leb (barely warm), briefly return the mixture to the saucepan and warm it gently over low heat. Stir continuously to ensure even warming without cooking the tuna.
5. Serve the Tuna Kitfo Style immediately, accompanied by 1 cup of fresh ayib cheese and 2 cups of cooked gomen collard greens on the side. Arrange injera on the platter to scoop up the tuna mixture, ayib, and gomen. This presentation allows everyone to enjoy the dish in a traditional manner, with the injera providing a perfect balance to the rich flavors of the tuna.