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Minchet abish
Minced beef in berbere sauce
Minchet abish (ምንቸት አብሽ): finely minced beef simmered into a smooth, deep red berbere and onion sauce
Where key wat is made with chunks of beef, minchet abish uses beef minced so finely that it melts into the sauce, giving a smooth, spoonable stew that clings to every piece of injera. Addis Ababa restaurants list it beside the other wats, and at home it is a Sunday and holiday dish because it stretches a modest amount of meat a long way. The flavour is deep and slightly sweet from a long-cooked onion base, warmed with berbere, ginger and a hint of fenugreek, with a lovely glossy finish. This version uses oil, which keeps it dairy free. Chef's tip: loosen the raw mince with a little cold water before it goes into the pan; it then breaks into fine grains instead of seizing into lumps, which is the most common mistake with this dish.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 red onionsvery finely chopped or blitzed
- 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic clovescrushed
- ½ oz fresh gingerfinely grated
- 2 ½ tbsp berberesee our recipe
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 ⅛ lb lean beef minceask for it minced twice
- ½ cup cold water
- 1 ¼ cups hot water
- ¼ tsp ground fenugreek
- ½ tsp mekeleshasee our recipe, or garam masala
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put 3 red onions in a heavy pan without any fat and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until it is soft, dry and has lost its raw smell.
10 minStep 2: Add 5 tbsp vegetable oil, 4 garlic cloves and ½ oz fresh ginger and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the onion is golden and jammy.
5 minStep 3: Stir in 2 ½ tbsp berbere and 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes, adding a splash of water if it starts to stick, until the oil turns deep red.
5 minStep 4: Meanwhile, mix 1 ⅛ lb lean beef mince with ½ cup cold water in a bowl with a fork until loose and sloppy. Wash your hands and the bowl after handling raw mince.
Step 5: Add the mince to the pan and stir hard with a wooden spoon or fork for 4–5 minutes until it is broken into fine grains and has lost all its pinkness.
5 minStep 6: Pour in 1 ¼ cups hot water, add ¼ tsp ground fenugreek and 1 tsp salt, bring to a simmer and cook gently, half-covered, for 20 minutes, stirring now and then, until the sauce is thick and the oil rises to the top. The mince must reach 160°F, which it will comfortably by now.
20 minStep 7: Stir in ½ tsp mekelesha and simmer for 2–3 minutes more. Taste for salt and serve hot with injera.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 27 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does minchet abish take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 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 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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