I hope you will forgive the length of this reply but I love to cook Ethiopian food and have collected a bunch of recipes. This seems like a lot of work, to make the berbere and the niter kebbeh, but it is so worth it. Enjoy!

Yetakelt W'et

* 1 c Onions; finely chopped
* 2 Garlic cloves; minced
* 1 tb Berbere
* 1 tb Sweet Hungarian paprika
* 1/4 c Niter Kebbeh
* 1 c Green beans; cut into thirds
* 1 c Carrots; chopped
* 1 c Potatoes; cubed
* 1 c Tomatoes; chopped
* 1/4 c Tomato paste
* 2 c Vegetable stock
* Salt and black pepper to tst
* 1/4 c parsley; fresh, chopped
* 2 Batches Injera
* Plain yogurt or cottage cheese


Saute the onions, garlic, berbere, and paprika in the Niter Kebbeh for
2 minutes. Add the beans, carrots, and potatoes and continue to saute for about 10
minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Add the chopped tomatoes,
tomato paste, and the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15
minutes, or until all of the vegetables are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix in the parsley. Serve with injera and yogurt or cottage cheese.


Niter Kibbeh

* 1 lb butter, unsalted (soy margarine or good quality olive oil works)
* 1/4 cup onion, chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 teaspoons ginger, grated,peeled,fresh
* 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
* 4 cardamom seeds, crushed
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 2 cloves, whole
* 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
* 1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
* 1 tablespoon fresh basil or dried basil

In a small saucepan, gradually melt the butter and bring it to bubbling.
When the top is covered with foam, add the other ingredients and reduce the heat to a simmer. Gently simmer, uncovered, on low heat. After about 45 to 60 minutes, when the surface becomes transparent and the milk solids are on the bottom, pour the liquid through a cheesecloth into a heat-resistant container. Discard the spices and solids. Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, Niter Kebbeh will keep for up to 2 months.

Berbere

* 1/2 cup ground red pepper (cayenne)
* 1/3 cup paprika
* 1 teaspoon seasoned salt
* 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground fenugreek
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom seeds
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
* 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

1. Preheat oven to 300F.
2. In a cake pan, mix the spices well (be careful not to inhale).
3. Roast for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent scorching.
4. Watch carefully, and stir the spices more often during the last 10 minutes.
5. Cool and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator or freezer.