Misir Wot — Ethiopian Red Lentils

Ingredients

• 1½ cups red lentils, rinsed
• 3 tbsp berbere (start with 2 if you're heat-shy)
• 1 large onion, very finely diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
• 3 tbsp oil (or niter kibbeh if you have it)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 4 cups water or stock
• Salt
• Injera or flatbread, to serve

Method

1. Cook the onion DRY in the pot first, stirring, 4–5 minutes — an Ethiopian technique that concentrates its sweetness before any fat touches it.
2. Add the oil, garlic, and ginger and cook 2 minutes. Then the berbere and tomato paste: fry the paste 2 full minutes, stirring, until it darkens and the whole kitchen smells like an event.
3. Add the lentils and stir to coat them in the spice base.
4. Pour in the water, bring to a simmer, and cook uncovered 25 minutes, stirring more often as it thickens, until the lentils have collapsed into a thick, spoon-standing stew.
5. Season with salt and serve hot with injera or flatbread — no utensils, just torn bread and intent.