I remember the first time I had Ethiopian food. My husband (then boyfriend) took me to the Blue Nile in Detroit’s Greektown neighborhood. I was intrigued by the intoxicating aromas wafting through the entrance. I never smelled anything quite like it – a combination of cayenne, clove, cinnamon, ginger, and coriander with other spices I wasn’t familiar with.
When the food arrived, I kept waiting for the silverware until I realized there wasn’t any. That’s what the injera is for – a flat, pliable, sourdough-like bread that’s used to pick up the various dishes served in small mounds on a large round tray. I actually bought some injera to use with this recipe, but it was so good that we snarfed all of it down by the time we got home. Thus the spoon……
I had a craving for Ethiopian food this weekend. Although we have an excellent Ethiopian restaurant not far from us (the Ethiopian Diamond Restaurant in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood), I envisioned my own concoction of chickpeas doused with berbere – the basic ingredient in many Ethiopian dishes. Luckily, we have easy access to a market that sells plenty of Ethiopian spices and different kinds of injera. If you can’t find it, here’s a recipe for berbere which seems to be very close to what I have.
This definitely has a hot kick to it so regulate the amount of spice used to suit your palate. We like it pretty hot – and throw thai chilis on top for good measure.
If you can find berbere already made, this recipe can be made in 20 minutes including prep time. And although this recipe technically makes enough for 8 or more servings, my husband and I polished most of this off by the end of the day (good for breakfast, lunch and dinner in my book!). It’s really delicious, so make extra!
Ingredients (serves 8)
2 cans chickpeas (rinsed and drained)
1 14-ounce can low sodium diced tomatoes
1 white or yellow onion (diced)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 red bell pepper (diced)
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 – 1 ½ tablespoons berbere
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ tablespoon oil (I used coconut)
½ teaspoon salt
thai chilis – thinly sliced for garnish (optional)
Directions
1. In a large pot, saute the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat for about 3-4 minutes until they start to soften. Add a few tablespoons of vegetable broth to prevent burning.
2. Place all remaining ingredients in the pot (except salt and thai chilis), bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10 – 15 minutes until all vegetables are thoroughly cooked.
3. Add salt (to taste). Serve hot immediately.
Teffy says
I absolutely love the colour of this! Don’t know why, but I have a thing for red food. It makes no sense but I’m going with it. I also love stews, so this sounds perfect for me!
{Teffy’s Perks} X
Teffy recently posted…Caramel + Peanut Butter Cups (Best.Thing.Ever!)
Amy says
I know exactly what you mean! There is something about the beauty of any food that’s red that draws me in. I hope you like this. Thanks so much for stopping by!