Ethiopian Spiced Rice Bowl with Berbere Lentils

About This Recipe

This bowl adapts the deep, complex flavors of Ethiopian misir wot, a spiced red lentil stew, into a quicker format served over rice rather than the traditional injera flatbread. Berbere, Ethiopia's signature spice blend of chile, garlic, ginger and warming spices like fenugreek and cardamom, gives the lentils their distinctive reddish color and layered heat, cooked down with onion until deeply savory. The rice itself is lightly spiced with turmeric for color and a subtle earthiness, and the whole bowl is finished with a squeeze of lemon, echoing the bright, acidic notes that balance rich Ethiopian stews.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupswhite rice
• 3.5 cupswater(for rice)
• 1/2 tspturmeric(for rice)
• 1 tspsalt(for rice)
• 1.5 cupsred lentils(rinsed)
• 3 tbspniter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter) or vegetable oil
• 1onion(diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tbspfresh ginger(minced)
• 3 tbspberbere spice blend
• 2 tbsptomato paste
• 3 cupswater(for lentils)
• 1 tspsalt(for lentils)
• 1lemon(cut into wedges, for serving)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the rice

   Cook rice with water, turmeric and salt according to standard rice-cooking method, about 18 minutes; fluff and set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the onion

   Heat niter kibbeh or oil in a pot and cook onion until deeply softened and golden, about 12 minutes.

3. 3

   Bloom the spices

   Add garlic, ginger and berbere spice, cooking 2 minutes until fragrant.

   Cook the berbere spice in the fat for a couple minutes before adding liquid — this blooming step releases much more of its complex aroma.

4. 4

   Build the sauce

   Stir in tomato paste, cooking 1 minute, then add the rinsed lentils, water and salt.

5. 5

   Simmer

   Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 20-25 minutes until the lentils fully break down into a thick stew.

6. 6

   Serve

   Spoon the lentils over the turmeric rice and serve with lemon wedges.

Variations

• •

  Adding diced carrots or potatoes to the lentil stew makes it heartier.

• •

  A version with split peas instead of lentils gives a slightly different texture.

• •

  Serving with injera instead of rice is the traditional way to eat this dish.

Storage

Refrigerate rice and lentils separately up to 4 days; reheat the lentils with a splash of water to loosen them.

Frequently Asked Questions