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Asa wat
Fish in berbere stew
Asa wat (የአሳ ወጥ): lake fish simmered gently in a rich berbere and onion sauce, from Bahir Dar and Hawassa
Around Lake Tana in Bahir Dar and on the shores of Lake Hawassa, fresh tilapia, Nile perch and catfish are cheap and plentiful, so fish goes into the same deep red berbere sauce that elsewhere would hold beef or chicken. Asa wat has the familiar long-cooked onion base and warming spice, but it is lighter than a meat wat, with tender, sweet chunks of fish soaking up the sauce. It is eaten with injera, often alongside a lentil or greens dish, and is a popular choice on fasting days for those who eat fish. Stirring once the fish is in is the classic mistake; it breaks into shreds, so shake the pan instead. Chef's tip: add the fish only once the sauce is fully cooked and thick, then give it no more than 10 minutes.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lb firm white fish filletstilapia, Nile perch, catfish or cod, cut into 5 cm chunks
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 red onionsvery finely chopped
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- ½ oz fresh gingergrated
- 2 ½ tbsp berberesee our recipe
- 1 ½ cups hot water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp mekeleshasee our recipe, or garam masala
- 2 green chillies (optional)halved lengthways
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toss 1 ½ lb firm white fish fillets with 2 tbsp lemon juice and a pinch of the ¼ tsp salt and keep it in the fridge while you make the sauce.
Step 2: Cook 3 red onions in a wide, heavy pan without any fat over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring, until soft and dry.
10 minStep 3: Add 5 tbsp vegetable oil, 4 garlic cloves and ½ oz fresh ginger and cook for 5 minutes until golden and jammy.
5 minStep 4: Stir in 2 ½ tbsp berbere and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if it sticks, until it is deep red and fragrant.
5 minStep 5: Pour in 1 ½ cups hot water, add the rest of ¾ tsp salt and simmer for 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick enough to leave a trail when you draw a spoon through it.
10 minStep 6: Lay the fish in the sauce in a single layer and spoon some sauce over. Cover and simmer very gently for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan now and then instead of stirring, until the fish is opaque all the way through and flakes easily.
9 minStep 7: Scatter over ½ tsp mekelesha and 2 green chillies, cover for 1 more minute, then serve hot with injera.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 11 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does asa wat take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of lemon juice?
- Lime juice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of red onions?
- White onion or shallots, same amount (soak raw onion in cold water for 10 minutes to soften it).
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