Fir Fir (Ethiopian Injera Breakfast Scramble)

About This Recipe

Fir fir is Ethiopia's practical answer to using up leftover injera, tearing the day-old bread into small pieces and tossing it in a warmly spiced berbere sauce until every piece is coated and slightly softened. The sauce itself is simple, built from sauteed onion cooked with niter kibbeh and berbere spice, the same base found in many Ethiopian stews but used here to flavor bread rather than meat or lentils. Served warm for breakfast, sometimes with a dollop of yogurt or a fried egg on top, fir fir turns what would otherwise be stale bread into a genuinely comforting, flavorful start to the day.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 piecesinjera(day-old, torn into small pieces)
• 3 tbspniter kibbeh or butter
• 1onion(diced)
• 2 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 tbspberbere spice blend
• 1/2 cupwater
• 1 tspsalt
• 2eggs(fried, for serving, optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the onion

   Melt niter kibbeh or butter in a pan and cook onion until softened, about 8 minutes.

2. 2

   Add spice

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

3. 3

   Make the sauce

   Add water and salt, simmering 3-4 minutes to combine into a thin, spiced sauce.

4. 4

   Add the injera

   Add the torn injera pieces, tossing to coat thoroughly in the sauce.

   Toss the injera gently but thoroughly — it should absorb the sauce and soften slightly without turning into mush.

5. 5

   Cook briefly

   Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the injera has absorbed the sauce and heated through.

6. 6

   Serve

   Serve warm, topped with a fried egg if desired.

Variations

• •

  Adding a bit of yogurt on top gives a cooling contrast to the spiced bread.

• •

  A version with scrambled egg mixed directly into the fir fir makes for a heartier breakfast.

• •

  Some households add leftover meat from a previous meal's stew for extra substance.

Storage

Best eaten fresh; leftovers keep a day refrigerated and reheat in a pan with a splash of water to loosen them back up.

Frequently Asked Questions