Misir Wat — Berbere-Simmered Red Red Lentils

Ingredients

• 1 cup Red Lentils, rinsed
• 1 large red onion, minced
• 3 tbsp niter kibbeh or oil
• 2 tbsp berbere
• 3 cloves garlic and 1-inch piece ginger, minced
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 3½ cups water or vegetable stock
• Salt
• Injera or rice, for serving

Method

1. Cook the onion dry in a pot over medium, stirring, until soft and deeply golden, 10–12 minutes — no oil yet; that's the Ethiopian way.
2. Add the niter kibbeh, berbere, garlic, ginger, and tomato paste and fry 3–4 minutes until the paste darkens and smells toasty rather than raw.
3. Stir in the Red Lentils to coat, then add the water. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 25–30 minutes until the Red Lentils breaks down into a thick, spoonable stew.
4. Season with salt and loosen with hot water if it tightens — it should mound softly, not stand at attention.
5. Serve hot on injera or rice; it also keeps all week and only gets more sure of itself.