Cooking with Ethiopian Spice: Berberé

Photo: Ethiopian meal of doro wat, yegomen kitfo and rice.

There is a story told that when a certain Ethiopian civil servant in the city of Gondar was about to marry, he made inquiries about the quality of her doro wat (chicken stew). The report was not only good but word was that she was mighty good. She even prepared her own berbere seasoning for her wat. Berberé  seasoning is no simple matter.

Berberé is the name of the fiery pepper seasoning used in a wide variety of Ethiopian dishes. Besides the pepper, berberé contains a variety of ingredients. I have provided a list of suitable spices and other ingredients from the American kitchen that can be used to prepare this Ethiopian seasoning.

1. Mixed paprika and red pepepr
2. Salt
3. Ginger root
4. Onion
5. Garlic
6. Cloves
7. Cinnamon sticks
8. Nutmeg
9. Cardamom pods and seeds
10. Allspice
11. Black peppercorns
12. Crushed fenugreek
13. Coriander seeds
14. The berbere paste

The picture below shows the first stage for making a large batch of berberé seasoning. Using traditional techniques, here the cook keeps watch over a tray of red peppers that have been drying for three days in the sun. For the cook without either the time or the sun, the red peppers can be fire-roasted over a grill or sauted in oil atop the conventional stove. Garlic and ginger are ground separately, along with a procession of spices (see spice options below).

Berberé, the Amharic name of the fiery pepper universal seasoning
in Ethiopian cooking begins with drying red peppers in the sun (above),
or oven roasting red peppers.

The doro wat, a spicy chicken stew with hard-cooked eggs is simmered with berberé and other spices. It is a national dish in Ethiopia. Apply the berberé spice to the chicken in a fashion similar to the American barbeque sauce.

Ethiopian traditional side dishes to the doro wat may include yegomen kitfo, or collard greens, and rice. The Ethiopian diner probably would forgo the rice if injera is available. In such a case, the injera would line the serving dish and the doro wat, yegomen kitfo, the diced tomato Ethiopian salad and other side dishes may be placed atop the injera for a communal dinner.

The Ethiopian communal eating tradition begins with the injera, an Ethiopian bread.

At the conclusion of the dinner, traditional Ethiopian coffee will be served. It may be served unsweetened after being spiced, boiled and reboiled into a concentrated richness that may smell faintly of cloves. Below, a woman fills cups with coffee from the typical black jebena (jug).

Photo: serving Ethiopian coffee