Mesir Wat (Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew)

Learning about an incredibly complex spice blend called berbere sparked my interest in Ethiopian cuisine.  Red from chili peppers and paprika, berbere is comprised of 10-13 spices and is the secret ingredient in most wats (i.e. stews). Like Indian food, Ethiopian food relies heavily on spices, but the primary difference is that Ethiopians eat their wats family style with a spongy, fermented bread called injera. 

Since I didn't want to take the time to make injera, I served my Mesir Wat with millet, a whole grain of African origin.  Millet has a slightly dry, grainy texture which complements the smoother, soupier nature of the wat.  

The Call of Berbere

When I was taking Beginning Painting, my art professor asked if my camel had a name.  I had just read about berbere and decided that its complexity and African origins suited a camel whose emotional status could be interpreted as either loneliness or a state of happiness over newfound freedom.

There are quite a few different recipes floating around the internet for making berbere, but I really like this blend, adapted from The Daring Gourmet, because it relies heavily on toasted, freshly ground spices, keys for optimal flavor.

To the right of the cloves are fenugreek seeds and to the left are green cardamom pods.  Cumin seeds are at the far left and coriander seeds at the far right.  I used kashmiri chili peppers because they are on the milder side and turn final products more red than other chili peppers.  All of these spices can be found at an Indian or ethnic grocery store.

Toasting and grinding your own spices really does make a huge difference in terms of flavor.  It helps to dedicate a coffee grinder just for grinding spices.

To assuage any skepticism, I suggest doing a sniff test by comparing the aromas of toasted, freshly ground cumin seeds vs. the pre-ground cumin that has been sitting around in a cabinet for months.  Convinced?

Nutrition Highlight: Paprika

Paprika is one of the main components of Berbere and is packed with nutrients because paprika is made from dehydrated peppers.  Paprika can be both mild and hot because it's made from peppers in the Capsicum annuum family, which includes both sweet bell peppers and spicy peppers.

A Delight for the Eyes

As indicated by its red color, paprika is an excellent source of vitamin A with 1 tsp providing about 37% of your RDA!  Within the umbrella of Vitamin A, there is a group of compounds called carotenoids.  There are four different carotenoids concentrated in paprika.  Because these carotenoids are antioxidants, they help decrease the risk of macular degeneration by preventing free radicals from damaging your eye cells.

Mesir Wat (Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew)
Printable Recipe

Mesir means lentil and wat means stew in Ethiopian.  This delicious dish is made special by the spice blend berbere.  The long list of ingredients in berbere may seem intimidating, but all those different spices work together to create something greater than the sum of the parts.

Ethiopians usually eat wat with injera, a fermented flatbread made with teff flour.  But millet, a whole grain indigenous to Africa, complements this dish perfectly and is much simpler to prepare.  Alternatively, black rice offers a beautiful color contrast and its slight sweetness balances the stew's kick.

My version of mesir wat is based on recipes from Cooking Light and Girl Cooks World.

AP = As Purchased

2 T olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced (9-10 oz AP, about 2 c)

1 T grated fresh ginger

4 garlic cloves (.5 oz AP)

1 T Berbere* recipe below

15 oz (1 1/2 c ) diced tomatoes, puréed with juice

 (or 1/4 c tomato paste)

1 c red lentils 

(can use split green peas= Shiro Wat; takes about 1.5 h)

3 c water

1 tsp salt

millet or black rice

cilantro

Heat oil in a 10-12” cast iron skillet, cook onion (can slice in food processor) for 15 min: medium for 5 minutes, then low for 5, extra low for 5. 

Mince garlic cloves in the FP. Add garlic and ginger to pan during last 5 min of onion cooking time. Stirring them into a little of the cooked onion prevents sticking. Add Berbere & stir into onion mixture; keep cooking until timer rings. Add tomato mixture and cook for a few minutes.  If using tomato paste, add paste to onion mixture, then add 1/2 c water.

While onion is cooking, start the lentils. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and set timer for 30 minutes.

Add the tomato-onion mixture to the lentils and continue cooking the lentils with a lid on.  Stir at least once to prevent anything sticking to the bottom of the pan.  If you prefer a thicker stew, let cook another 10 minutes with the lid off.

Serve with millet or black rice and garnish with fresh cilantro. Makes 4 1/2 c, enough for 4-5 servings.

SKR Notes: I have made the Mesir Wat with both the canned diced tomatoes and tomato paste, and my volunteer tasters couldn't differentiate between the two.

If you don't want to make your own Berbere, Penzey's (a reputable spice company) sells a 1/4 c jar for $2.69.  Free shipping on orders of $30 or more.

Berbere 
Printable Recipe

Based on the blend from The Daring Gourmet and Girl Cooks World.  I've made wats with both regular paprika and smoked paprika and they both taste good, though smoked isn't traditional.

2 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp black peppercorns

1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds 

Seeds of 4 green cardamom pods

4 cloves (or 1/4 tsp ground)

4 dried red chilies, seeded

3 T sweet paprika

or 2 T smoked paprika (not traditional)

1/4 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp salt

Put all the spices that need to be toasted on a small plate.  Then heat a small skillet and add spices in 2 batches.  Then toast the seeded chili peppers. Can save seeds and add to a pre-existing jar of red pepper flakes.

Grind whole spices in a coffee grinder.  Then add pre-ground spices and salt and grind to blend everything. 

Makes 6 T, enough for 6 Mesir Wats. Store in a small jar.