Injera na Tsebhi Dorho

About This Recipe

Injera na Tsebhi Dorho is the beating heart of Eritrean cuisine, bringing together the country's beloved sour flatbread with a fragrant chicken stew spiced with berbere and niter kibbeh. In Eritrea, sharing injera from a single large platter is a profound expression of friendship and family bonds. The stew slow-simmers until the chicken falls apart, absorbing the deep red spice paste that distinguishes Eritrean cooking from its Ethiopian cousin. This dish is prepared for celebrations, religious feasts, and Sundays when families gather around the communal platter.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 2 cupsteff flour
• 1 cupall-purpose flour
• 2.5 cupswarm water (for batter)
• 1 tspactive dry yeast
• 1.5 kgwhole chicken, cut into pieces
• 3 tbspberbere spice paste
• 4 tbspniter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter)
• 2 largeonions, finely chopped
• 6 clovesgarlic, minced
• 1 tbspfresh ginger, grated
• 1 cupchicken stock
• 4 wholehard-boiled eggs, scored
• 1 tspsalt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Ferment the injera batter

   Mix teff flour and all-purpose flour with warm water and yeast. Whisk until smooth, cover with a cloth, and let ferment at room temperature for 24–48 hours until pleasantly sour and bubbly.

2. 2

   Brown the onions

   In a large pot, dry-fry the chopped onions over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until soft and golden. Do not add oil yet—this step builds depth.

3. 3

   Build the stew base

   Add niter kibbeh to the onions and cook 2 minutes. Stir in berbere paste, garlic, and ginger. Cook over medium-low heat for 5 minutes until the oil begins to separate and the paste is fragrant.

4. 4

   Simmer the chicken

   Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat in the spice paste. Pour in the chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook 45–50 minutes until chicken is very tender.

5. 5

   Add eggs and finish

   Add scored hard-boiled eggs and simmer a further 10 minutes to absorb the sauce. Adjust seasoning. The stew should be thick and deeply red.

6. 6

   Cook the injera

   Stir the fermented batter (thin with water to a crepe-like consistency). Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat and pour in a ladleful of batter, swirling quickly to coat. Cover and cook 2–3 minutes until holes form and edges lift. Remove and cool on a rack. Repeat with remaining batter.

7. 7

   Serve communally

   Layer injera on a large round platter. Spoon tsebhi dorho in the center. Serve with extra injera rolled on the side for scooping.

Variations

• •

  Tsebhi Sga: substitute beef for chicken for a richer, meatier stew.

• •

  Vegetarian version: replace chicken with chickpeas and mushrooms.

• •

  Add a handful of lentils to the stew for extra body.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Store leftover stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Injera is best fresh but can be wrapped in foil and refrigerated for 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions