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Duba wat
Pumpkin simmered in a berbere and onion sauce
Duba wat is a fasting-season stew from the Ethiopian highlands, made when pumpkins are plentiful after the rains around Meskel in late September. Chunks of pumpkin are cooked in a classic red wat base of slow-cooked onion, garlic and berbere, so the sweetness of the squash plays against the heat of the spices. It is softer and sweeter than most wats and goes well with gomen and injera. Chef's tip: add the pumpkin only once the onion and berbere base is fully cooked and glossy; raw-tasting berbere spoils the dish.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
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Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (4)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Cook 2 red onions in a dry heavy pan over a medium heat for 8 minutes, stirring, until soft and starting to colour.
8 minStep 2: Add 4 tbsp vegetable oil, 3 garlic cloves and ⅓ oz fresh ginger and cook for 2 minutes.
2 minStep 3: Stir in 1 ½ tbsp berbere and 1 tbsp tomato purée with a splash of water and cook over a low heat for 5 minutes, stirring often, until the oil separates and turns brick red. A common mistake is to rush this step; raw-tasting berbere spoils the whole stew.
5 minStep 4: Add 1 ¾ lb pumpkin, 1 ¼ cups water and 1 tsp salt. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until a knife slides easily into the pumpkin and some pieces have started to melt into the sauce. Don't stir too much, or it all turns to purée.
15 minStep 5: Taste and adjust the salt. Serve warm with injera.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 170 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 22 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does duba wat take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 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 vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- 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).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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