1
StepRinse the lentils in cold water until it runs almost clear, then leave them to drain. Chop the onions very finely, and grate the garlic and ginger.
Main Dishes
Ethiopian Misir Wot
Split red lentils cooked down with a large amount of slowly sweated onion and a generous hand of berbere until the stew turns dark red and glossy. The onions are dry-cooked first with no fat, which is what gives the sauce its body. Scooped up with injera or flatbread.
60 min
Prep: 15 / Cook: 45
4
servings
Easy
Difficulty
4.5
4 Ratings
Chidi Okonkwo
This content is owned by the author and used with their consent.
Terms ↗March 22, 2026
Ingredients
- 300 g red lentil
- 400 g red onion
- 5 cloves garlic
- 20 g ginger
- 3 tbsp berbere
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 90 ml sunflower oil
- 900 ml water
- 0 salt
Preparation
6 Steps
2
StepPut the onions in a dry heavy pot over medium-low heat with no oil at all. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring regularly, until they release their water, collapse and smell sweet. They should stay pale.
3
StepAdd the oil and the garlic and ginger, cook 2 minutes, then stir in the berbere and tomato paste. Fry gently for 4 minutes, stirring constantly so the spice does not catch; the mixture will darken and the oil will start to separate.
4
StepAdd the lentils and turn them through the paste for a minute, then pour in the water. Bring to a boil, then lower to a bare simmer.
5
StepSimmer uncovered for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes and scraping the base, until the lentils have broken down completely and a spoon dragged through leaves a trail that closes slowly.
6
StepSeason with salt, adding a splash of hot water if it has gone past the consistency of thick porridge. Rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving; the flavour rounds out as it sits.
Chef's Tip
Cook the onions dry in the pan for a good ten minutes before any oil goes in, stirring so they soften and collapse rather than colour. This version uses oil instead of niter kibbeh to keep it vegan, so bloom the berbere properly in the oil to make up for the missing spiced butter.
Comments (2)
my berbere was much saltier than yours so i pulled back on the salt at the end
the dry onion step feels wrong while you are doing it and then it makes total sense