B I T H I A’ S D O R O WOT HANDS-ON 15 MIN TOTAL 1 HR, 20 MIN SERVES 6 SUBMITTED BY BITHIA FIKRU ANDERSON AND RAGHAVAN IYER NEW RECIPE GO ONLINE TO RATE & REVIEW
3½ lb. chicken thighs and drumsticks, skin removed (see kitchen tips, at right) ¼ cup grated fresh ginger 2 Tbsp. finely minced garlic ¼ cup niter kibbeh (see kitchen tips, at right) or vegetable oil 1 cup thinly sliced red onion 1 (15-oz.) can tomato sauce 2 Tbsp. berbere (see kitchen tips, at right) 1½ tsp. fine kosher or sea salt 1 tsp. sweet paprika ½ tsp. cayenne pepper ½ tsp. ground cardamom ½ tsp. nutmeg 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems Injera (Ethiopian bread) 1. Pierce chicken pieces in a few
spots with a knife; rub with ginger and garlic to coat. 2 . Heat 2 Tbsp. niter kibbeh in a deep 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Arrange chicken pieces in a single layer and sear until
browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. 3. Add remaining 2 Tbsp. niter kibbeh to skillet. Add onion; stir-fry over medium-high heat until softened and light brown around the edges, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour in tomato sauce and sprinkle in berbere, salt, paprika, cayenne, cardamom, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until a thin layer of oil separates from the sauce, forming a spice-colored film on its surface, about 20 minutes. 4 . Return chicken and any pooled juices to skillet; coat with sauce. Cook, covered and turning pieces occasionally, until thickest parts are no longer pink when pierced and meat begins to fall off the bone, 35 to 40 minutes. 5. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve with injera, a deliciously spongy and slightly sour pancake-like Ethiopian bread.
kitchen tips
With roots in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Bithia Fikru Anderson grew up using handkerchief-soft injera to mop up doro wot, a rich, saucy bone-in chicken stew redolent of warm spices, ginger, and garlic. “My aunties knew how to make it just right,” Bithia says. “It was a staple, not just for special occasions and holidays but also on down-and-out days, always served with a side of ayib, our homemade Ethiopian cheese.”
armagazine.com/bithias-doro-wot PER SERVING (7 OZ. CHICKEN AND 1 TBSP. SAUCE): 527 CAL; 25G FAT (10G SAT); 58G PRO; 15G CARB (3G FIBER, 4G SUGARS); 858MG SODIUM
Berbere is the essential spice blend in Ethiopia. Versions are as varied as the kitchens they come from, but spicy chile peppers and a medley of aromatic spices from India and Indonesia are key to berbere’s complex layers. Try Bithia’s DIY version (Berbere Spice Blend, opposite page) or find ready-made blends in the spice aisle of large supermarkets and any grocery that serves Ethiopian food-lovers. Niter kibbeh is a spiced clarified butter that provides the je ne sais quoi in many Ethiopian dishes. An easy way to make it: Steep whole spices—such as 1 cinnamon stick, ⅛ tsp. fenugreek seeds, 3 whole cloves, and 5 whole peppercorns—in 1 cup of melted clarified butter (ghee) about 10 minutes over low heat. Strain out and discard the spices; store butter chilled in an airtight container. Get a grip: Chicken thighs and drumsticks are easy to find at the meat counter, but often they still have their skin on. Ask the butcher to remove it for you, or simply grab a piece and, using paper towels for an easier grip, pull the skin away from the meat.
ALLRECIPES.COM
46
FEB/MARCH 2022
