Ethiopian Feast: Yemisir Wot (Berbere Lentils)
This just might be my favorite Ethiopian dish!
They’re all good, but this one makes use of that amazing Berbere spice blend, and is both satisfyingly warming, and amazingly tasty!
The dish gets its flavor, and deep red color from an entire half cup of the berbere. It sounds like a ton, but it is what makes this dish, so unique and addictive. You get a bit of heat from the ground chiles, warmth from cardamom, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, and a lovely sweetness from the paprika.
This is the third of six recipes in my recent Ethiopian Feast series:
I know I just said that I think this one is my favorite, but it’s also just really amazing because of how it plays along with the other dishes. They all bring different elements to the table, and when eaten together, its truly sublime! Make sure you have lots of Injera on hand for this one 😛
I should mention that typically this dish is very spicy, but that’s dependent on how spicy your Berbere is or is not. My Berbere is not really that spicy at all (despite the fact it has a ton of dried chilies in it), so this particular version of Yemisir Wot is not that hot. However, if you are using a store-bought Berbere, taste it first, and adjust the amount as necessary!
PrintYemisir Wot (Berbere Lentils)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 2 small to medium yellow onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, pureed
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and pureed
- 1/2 cup berbere spice
- 1 cup dried red lentils, washed
- 3 cups water
- kosher salt, to taste
Directions:
- In a large dutch oven, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8 minutes.
- Add in the garlic, ginger, and berbere, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add in the lentils and cook for 1 minute more. Add in the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook for 30-45 minutes until thick and the the lentils have broken down a bit. Season, to taste, with salt.
recipe slightly adapted from here
