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Niter kibbeh
Ethiopian spiced clarified butter with onion, garlic, ginger and herbs
Niter kibbeh is the golden spiced butter used across the Ethiopian highlands on non-fasting days, when a spoonful goes into doro wat, kitfo, genfo or a simple pan of scrambled eggs. Butter is melted slowly with onion, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, sacred basil (besobela) and other spices, then strained, leaving a fragrant, nutty fat that keeps for months. Because it is dairy it is never eaten during fasts; for those dishes, Ethiopians use plain oil, or you can warm 250 ml vegetable oil with the same spices for 15 minutes and strain it for a vegan spiced oil. Chef's tip: keep the heat very low; the butter should barely shiver, and if the milk solids burn the whole batch tastes acrid.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Melt 1 ⅛ lb unsalted butter in a heavy saucepan over a low heat. Skim off the white foam as it rises for the first 5 minutes.
5 minStep 2: Add ½ onion, 4 garlic cloves, ⅔ oz fresh ginger, 1 tsp fenugreek seeds, 4 cardamom pods, ½ tsp cumin seeds, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp dried oregano or besobela, 1 small piece cinnamon stick and 3 cloves.
Step 3: Simmer over the lowest heat for 25–30 minutes without stirring. The butter should bubble very gently; the solids sink and turn pale gold and the butter becomes clear and smells of toasted spice. If anything turns dark brown, take it off the heat at once. Turning up the heat to speed it up is the most common mistake.
28 minStep 4: Line a sieve with a double layer of muslin or kitchen paper and strain the butter into a clean, dry jar. Leave the solids behind.
Step 5: Cool, cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 months. It sets firm; scoop out what you need.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 180 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 0 g
- Fat
- 20 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does niter kibbeh take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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