Editorial sample recipeEthiopianbeginnerGluten-FreeHalalVegetarian

Ethiopian Spiced Black-Eyed Pea Stew With Niter Kibbeh

Name: Ethiopian Spiced Black-Eyed Pea Stew With Niter Kibbeh
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients: 2 tbsp Ethiopian spiced butter (niter kibbeh) or ghee; 1 large red onion, finely diced; 3 clove garlic, minced; 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced; 1.5 tbsp berbere spice blend; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 2 can canned black-eyed peas, 15 oz each, drained and rinsed; 1.5 cup halal vegetable stock; 1 tsp salt; 2 whole jalapeño pepper, sliced into thin rings

A rich and savory legume stew using black-eyed peas simmered with onions, berbere spice blend, garlic, and finished with fragrant Ethiopian spiced clarified butter.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 35 min

AI-generated illustration of Ethiopian Spiced Black-Eyed Pea Stew With Niter Kibbeh

AI illustration

Technique to learn

Slow Onion Caramelization

Cooking finely diced onions over low heat without excess fat first breaks down cell walls and sweetens the base naturally before spices are bloomed.

Instructions

Step 1: Heat the spiced butter in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat until melted and fragrant.
Step 2: Add the diced red onions and dry-sauté for 8 to 10 minutes until softened and translucent, adding a tablespoon of stock if sticking occurs.

Step 3: Stir in minced garlic, ginger, and berbere spice blend, cooking for 1 minute until highly aromatic.

Step 4: Add the tomato paste and stir continuously for 2 minutes to caramelize the sugars.

Step 5: Pour in the rinsed black-eyed peas and vegetable stock, stirring well to combine and scraping up any browned bits from the skillet base.

Step 6: Bring stew to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Step 7: Season with salt, stir in sliced jalapeño pepper rings, and simmer uncovered for 3 additional minutes before serving.

Step 8: Serve hot with warm flatbread or brown rice.

Cooking tips

Dry-sautéing red onions slowly before adding fat helps build the signature deep base flavor of traditional Ethiopian braises.
Adjust the berbere quantity depending on your preferred heat tolerance level.
Original home-cooking adaptation inspired by Ethiopian; regional versions vary.
Use halal-certified meat, poultry, stock, sauces, cheese and other processed ingredients. Check labels and avoid cross-contamination. Recipe screening is not halal certification.

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