Tomatillo Salsa: an intro to canning

I want to introduce my lovely readers to the concept of canning, which is not nearly as difficult as everyone makes it sound. All you need is a large pot, some mason jars, and a lot of something you want to preserve. It's a great way to save those end of season vegetables for use later. Even if you don't have a garden, you can get a lot of awesome things at the farmers market and make things just because they sound delicious.

First, this recipe (and most of my canning recipes) comes from the Ball Home Preserving book. It's awesome and gives really great advice

There are a few things to know about canning:

FIRST, boil the jars, lids and bands before adding anything to them. This sanitizes them and prevents the jars from breaking when you add hot liquid. The book says you don't need to fully boil them, but what can it hurt?

SECOND, pay attention to the time. It won't make much of a difference with salsa, but with jam or pickled vegetables cooking time is very important

THIRD, hot jars should never be placed directly on a surface like the kitchen counter. The temperature difference can cause the glass to break. Always place hot jars on a kitchen towel

FOURTH, if the button is still up the next day (the button that makes the popping noise on the lid) then it did not seal properly. It won't have the shelf life of normal canned goods.

The most important thing: be very careful when taking jars out of the water. I use a combination of tongs and a large spoon to put jars in and out of the pot, but I've dropped/broken jars before that way. It can be tricky, but they do sell jar lifters, if you are interested in that

And now salsa recipe

Tomatillo Salsa (makes four 8 oz jars)

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 cups chopped cored husked tomatillos
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped seeded green chili peppers
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

Directions

1. Prepare canner lids and jars. Place jars in a pot filled with room temperature water and bring to a boil. Boil the lids and bands separately in a small pot so they are easier to remove. This prevents jars from breaking when the hot liquid is introduced. Carefully remove jars from water after your salsa has finished cooking.
2. Combine tomatillos, onion, chili peppers, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt and hot pepper flakes. Bring to boil while stirring constantly, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes
3. Carefully remove jars from the water to place on a kitchen towel (also prevents breakage) and fill with salsa, leaving half an inch of headspace at the top. Take a popsicle stick and move it along the edges of the jar to get rid of any air bubbles. Adjust headspace accordingly.
4. Wipe rims of jars, center lids, and screw on bands until they are fingertip tight. Carefully place them back in the boiling water (I use tongs and a large spoon), making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch.  Place a lid on the pot and boil jars for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove lid and leave jars another 5 minutes.
5. Remove jars from water and leave untouched for at least 12 hours to make sure the lids seal properly. Check the next day to make sure that button is down to know it has sealed properly.

Note: The salsa will taste very sour at first, but it mellows out given time in the jar and chilled in the refrigerator. I added a little honey and more salt while it boiled to counterbalance the sour flavor. It made a spicy, slightly sweet and sour salsa, which I really liked even though it was a little different.

I want to introduce my lovely readers to the concept of canning, which is not nearly as difficult as everyone makes it sound. All you need is a large pot, some mason jars, and a lot of something you want to preserve. It's a great way to save those end of season vegetables for use later. Even if you don't have a garden, you can get a lot of awesome things at the farmers market and make things just because they sound delicious.

First, this recipe (and most of my canning recipes) comes from the Ball Home Preserving book. It's awesome and gives really great advice

There are a few things to know about canning:

FIRST, boil the jars, lids and bands before adding anything to them. This sanitizes them and prevents the jars from breaking when you add hot liquid. The book says you don't need to fully boil them, but what can it hurt?

SECOND, pay attention to the time. It won't make much of a difference with salsa, but with jam or pickled vegetables cooking time is very important

THIRD, hot jars should never be placed directly on a surface like the kitchen counter. The temperature difference can cause the glass to break. Always place hot jars on a kitchen towel

FOURTH, if the button is still up the next day (the button that makes the popping noise on the lid) then it did not seal properly. It won't have the shelf life of normal canned goods.

The most important thing: be very careful when taking jars out of the water. I use a combination of tongs and a large spoon to put jars in and out of the pot, but I've dropped/broken jars before that way. It can be tricky, but they do sell jar lifters, if you are interested in that

And now salsa recipe

Tomatillo Salsa (makes four 8 oz jars)

Ingredients

• 5 1/2 cups chopped cored husked tomatillos
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped seeded green chili peppers
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 4 tbsp lime juice
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes

Directions

1. Prepare canner lids and jars. Place jars in a pot filled with room temperature water and bring to a boil. Boil the lids and bands separately in a small pot so they are easier to remove. This prevents jars from breaking when the hot liquid is introduced. Carefully remove jars from water after your salsa has finished cooking.
2. Combine tomatillos, onion, chili peppers, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, cumin, salt and hot pepper flakes. Bring to boil while stirring constantly, reduce heat, and simmer for 10 minutes
3. Carefully remove jars from the water to place on a kitchen towel (also prevents breakage) and fill with salsa, leaving half an inch of headspace at the top. Take a popsicle stick and move it along the edges of the jar to get rid of any air bubbles. Adjust headspace accordingly.
4. Wipe rims of jars, center lids, and screw on bands until they are fingertip tight. Carefully place them back in the boiling water (I use tongs and a large spoon), making sure the water covers the jars by at least 1 inch.  Place a lid on the pot and boil jars for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat, remove lid and leave jars another 5 minutes.
5. Remove jars from water and leave untouched for at least 12 hours to make sure the lids seal properly. Check the next day to make sure that button is down to know it has sealed properly.

Note: The salsa will taste very sour at first, but it mellows out given time in the jar and chilled in the refrigerator. I added a little honey and more salt while it boiled to counterbalance the sour flavor. It made a spicy, slightly sweet and sour salsa, which I really liked even though it was a little different.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Creole Tomato and Onion Salad

At first, the idea of an onion and tomato salad just did not sound good. I've learned so many new things since moving to the south, and have expanded my palate in so many ways. Is this onion salad an everyday thing? No. But it's a good refreshing summer side dish that's spicy and flavorful enough to go with more plain dinner foods like chicken or grits.

For this salad I used "Shut My Mouth" brand creole mustard (which I purchased simply because I liked the name. You need to say it like a sassy black woman. At least in my mind that's how you say it...)

Creole mustard is different than regular mustard because it's mixed with horseradish, worcestershire sauce and vinegar. You could also use stone ground mustard if you did not want as strong a flavor, but I like the pungent flavor of all parts of the creole mustard.

Note: all amounts are guesses. Adjust to fit personal taste

Creole Onion Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• 5 roma tomatoes, cut into 1/8 or 1/6 sections
• 1 small red onion, shaved into rings on a mandolin (I would use Maui or a sweeter onion next time)
• Creole mustard
• 1 tsp mayonaise
• honey (optional)
• Chives for garnish

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes and onions as desired.
2. Mix mayonaise with creole mustard in a separate bowl until you reach desired spice level. Add honey if desire to add sweetness and round out the flavors
3. Toss onion and tomatoes lightly with dressing.
4. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with chives.

At first, the idea of an onion and tomato salad just did not sound good. I've learned so many new things since moving to the south, and have expanded my palate in so many ways. Is this onion salad an everyday thing? No. But it's a good refreshing summer side dish that's spicy and flavorful enough to go with more plain dinner foods like chicken or grits.

For this salad I used "Shut My Mouth" brand creole mustard (which I purchased simply because I liked the name. You need to say it like a sassy black woman. At least in my mind that's how you say it...)

Creole mustard is different than regular mustard because it's mixed with horseradish, worcestershire sauce and vinegar. You could also use stone ground mustard if you did not want as strong a flavor, but I like the pungent flavor of all parts of the creole mustard.

Note: all amounts are guesses. Adjust to fit personal taste

Creole Onion Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• 5 roma tomatoes, cut into 1/8 or 1/6 sections
• 1 small red onion, shaved into rings on a mandolin (I would use Maui or a sweeter onion next time)
• Creole mustard
• 1 tsp mayonaise
• honey (optional)
• Chives for garnish

Directions

1. Slice tomatoes and onions as desired.
2. Mix mayonaise with creole mustard in a separate bowl until you reach desired spice level. Add honey if desire to add sweetness and round out the flavors
3. Toss onion and tomatoes lightly with dressing.
4. Chill until ready to serve. Garnish with chives.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Yuzu Wasabi White Chocolate Macaron

Until recently, I never knew the difference between a macaroon and a macaron. In my childhood, I got those American style coconut macaroons as an occasional treat. I never got French style macarons. I had never heard of them until 4 years ago when they started appearing everywhere in different colors and flavors. They were like the new cupcake, except cuter, more refined, and a lot more difficult.

I know my recipe is spot on for these macarons, but my technique needs work. I ended up with some hallow parts in the lids of my macarons and I needed work piping them exactly even. Yet the flavor was like any other macaron and the ganache was eye opening. None of the flavors overpowered the other. The yuzu hit you at the beginning and the wasabi flavor slowly appeared toward the end while the white chocolate, the most subtle flavor, mellowed out all the flavors on the finish.

But even though it is a refined dessert, if I'm being honest, I still think I prefer coconut macaroons in general. They're easier, more comforting, and what I crew up with. Can't beat that.

Yuzu Wasabi White Chocolate Macarons

Ingredients

• 300 g almond flour
• 300 g powdered sugar
• 110 g egg whites
• 75 g water
• 300 g powdered sugar
• 110 g egg whites
• 5.5 oz white chocolate
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• splash yuzu juice
• 10 g wasabi powder (or grated wasabi)

Directions

1. Mix together 300 g almond flour, 300 g powdered sugar and 110 g egg whites
2. In separate bowl, combine sugar and water until it reaches 244 F. Beat 110 g egg whites separately and pour hot sugar mixture over the top. Continue to beat until compact, shiny meringues form
3. Fold meringues into almond flour mixture. Pipe small circles onto parchment and let rest 30 minutes to form a crust.
4. Bake at 350 for 23 minutes, opening the door twice midway through. Let cool completely
5. For ganache, heat yuzu juice and cream until simmering. Pour over wasabi and white chocolate. Stir until melted.
6. Let cool and spread over macarons.

Until recently, I never knew the difference between a macaroon and a macaron. In my childhood, I got those American style coconut macaroons as an occasional treat. I never got French style macarons. I had never heard of them until 4 years ago when they started appearing everywhere in different colors and flavors. They were like the new cupcake, except cuter, more refined, and a lot more difficult.

I know my recipe is spot on for these macarons, but my technique needs work. I ended up with some hallow parts in the lids of my macarons and I needed work piping them exactly even. Yet the flavor was like any other macaron and the ganache was eye opening. None of the flavors overpowered the other. The yuzu hit you at the beginning and the wasabi flavor slowly appeared toward the end while the white chocolate, the most subtle flavor, mellowed out all the flavors on the finish.

But even though it is a refined dessert, if I'm being honest, I still think I prefer coconut macaroons in general. They're easier, more comforting, and what I crew up with. Can't beat that.

Yuzu Wasabi White Chocolate Macarons

Ingredients

• 300 g almond flour
• 300 g powdered sugar
• 110 g egg whites
• 75 g water
• 300 g powdered sugar
• 110 g egg whites
• 5.5 oz white chocolate
• ⅓ cup heavy cream
• splash yuzu juice
• 10 g wasabi powder (or grated wasabi)

Directions

1. Mix together 300 g almond flour, 300 g powdered sugar and 110 g egg whites
2. In separate bowl, combine sugar and water until it reaches 244 F. Beat 110 g egg whites separately and pour hot sugar mixture over the top. Continue to beat until compact, shiny meringues form
3. Fold meringues into almond flour mixture. Pipe small circles onto parchment and let rest 30 minutes to form a crust.
4. Bake at 350 for 23 minutes, opening the door twice midway through. Let cool completely
5. For ganache, heat yuzu juice and cream until simmering. Pour over wasabi and white chocolate. Stir until melted.
6. Let cool and spread over macarons.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Mapo Tofu

I judge a real chinese restaurant on one dish, and it is always Mapo Tofu. A real, sichuan chinese restaurant should have this amazing dish, and it should be exceedingly hot. When I say hot, I don't just mean mouth burning hot like you get in thai and mexican cooking. I mean that face numbing, whole body feels warm and tingly kind of hot. After two months of living on the east coast and missing Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco, I knew I wanted to make my own mapo tofu (though I wanted to give it a little less star anise flavor than they have.

A lot of chinese restaurants make mapo tofu vegetarian. I assure you, nothing in real chinese cooking should be vegetarian. This dish should be filled with tofu, pork and plenty of chili. If you're looking for a dish to warm you up and clear your sinuses this winter, make this dish and serve it with rice. It's fantastic.

Mapo Tofu

Ingredients

• ½ lb ground pork
• ½ minced onion
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp sambal chili paste
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 1 lb tofu, cubed
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 6 dried sichuan chilis
• small handful (2 Tbsp) sichuan peppercorns, ground
• 2 finely ground star anise pods
• chopped scallions

Directions

1. Soak shiitakes in boiling water for 10 minutes and slice thin. Add soy, chili paste and corn starch to reserved liquid
2. Sautee onions and pork together until pork is brown. Break apart large pieces and add garlic and ginger until fragrant.
3. Add reserved liquid and simmer briefly with star anise, chilis and peppercorns
4. Gently add tofu, and simmer until warmed
5. Dress at the very end with sesame oil and scallions. Serve immediately.

I judge a real chinese restaurant on one dish, and it is always Mapo Tofu. A real, sichuan chinese restaurant should have this amazing dish, and it should be exceedingly hot. When I say hot, I don't just mean mouth burning hot like you get in thai and mexican cooking. I mean that face numbing, whole body feels warm and tingly kind of hot. After two months of living on the east coast and missing Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco, I knew I wanted to make my own mapo tofu (though I wanted to give it a little less star anise flavor than they have.

A lot of chinese restaurants make mapo tofu vegetarian. I assure you, nothing in real chinese cooking should be vegetarian. This dish should be filled with tofu, pork and plenty of chili. If you're looking for a dish to warm you up and clear your sinuses this winter, make this dish and serve it with rice. It's fantastic.

Mapo Tofu

Ingredients

• ½ lb ground pork
• ½ minced onion
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4 Tbsp sambal chili paste
• 1 Tbsp corn starch
• 1 lb tofu, cubed
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 6 dried sichuan chilis
• small handful (2 Tbsp) sichuan peppercorns, ground
• 2 finely ground star anise pods
• chopped scallions

Directions

1. Soak shiitakes in boiling water for 10 minutes and slice thin. Add soy, chili paste and corn starch to reserved liquid
2. Sautee onions and pork together until pork is brown. Break apart large pieces and add garlic and ginger until fragrant.
3. Add reserved liquid and simmer briefly with star anise, chilis and peppercorns
4. Gently add tofu, and simmer until warmed
5. Dress at the very end with sesame oil and scallions. Serve immediately.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Ethiopian Red Lentils

For a side dish to the Sik Sik Wat in the last post, I made these Ethiopian spiced red lentils. Red lentils are not as good for you as green lentils, being only 11% fiber as opposed to 31%, but they still have plenty of protein and are one of the healthiest foods.

These lentils are spicy and can act as a main dish as opposed to a side dish like I used them. If you prefer a thinner lentil stew, leave the water at 4 cups, but if you prefer a thicker paste, reduce the water to 3 1/2 cups. Either way, this dish is healthy and has great flavors of chili, onion, turmeric and cloves.

Note: you can find recipes for both the niter kibbeh and berbere spice in this post

Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 Tbsp niter kibbeh or clarified butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp berber seasoning
• 4 cups water
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Melt clarified butter in a large pot. Wash lentils
2. Add onion and garlic to butter, sautee until soft
3. Add 1 tbsp of berber seasoning, lentils and water. Simmer for 45 minutes or until walter is almost all evaporated and lentils are soft
4. Add remaining berber seasoning and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

For a side dish to the Sik Sik Wat in the last post, I made these Ethiopian spiced red lentils. Red lentils are not as good for you as green lentils, being only 11% fiber as opposed to 31%, but they still have plenty of protein and are one of the healthiest foods.

These lentils are spicy and can act as a main dish as opposed to a side dish like I used them. If you prefer a thinner lentil stew, leave the water at 4 cups, but if you prefer a thicker paste, reduce the water to 3 1/2 cups. Either way, this dish is healthy and has great flavors of chili, onion, turmeric and cloves.

Note: you can find recipes for both the niter kibbeh and berbere spice in this post

Ethiopian Red Lentil Stew

Ingredients

• 1 cup red lentils
• 4 Tbsp niter kibbeh or clarified butter
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp berber seasoning
• 4 cups water
• salt to taste

Directions

1. Melt clarified butter in a large pot. Wash lentils
2. Add onion and garlic to butter, sautee until soft
3. Add 1 tbsp of berber seasoning, lentils and water. Simmer for 45 minutes or until walter is almost all evaporated and lentils are soft
4. Add remaining berber seasoning and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Sik Sik Wat (Ethiopian stewed beef)

I've always loved Ethiopian food. It's such a fun food to eat with your hands, share with friends, and explore a new culture of spices that are familiar to me, but that I have never used in this way before. In my exploration into Ethiopian food, I discovered a few key components of Ethiopian cuisine that are indispensable. They really are what create the flavors.

1. Teff: a grass native to northeast africa. Until making dinner, I had never heard of teff before. It can be ground into flour and is completely gluten free so it can be used by those with celiacs disease. It has a nutty, earthy flavor and is used to make injera. My injera came out horribly, so the recipe will not be posted. here, but it is an essential ingredient.

2. Berbere: a spice mixture usually containing chili, garlic, ginger, tumeric, fenugreek, allspice and cardamom (among other things). It's the spice powder that's usually added to... everything.

3. Niter Kibbeh: a spiced version of clarified butter, make by infusing the oil with cinnamon, ginger, onion tumeric, fenugreek, etc. Also used in practically everything.

Because of that, this is going to be a really really long post as this will have 3 recipes. You'll get a recipe for the spice, the butter and the main dish (of course, you can use normal clarified butter if you want, and you can use a packaged berbere spice, but what's the fun in that?) You really need these flavors and you can always adjust up the heat. And for a more traditional doro wat, just sub chicken for the beef.

Berbere (Ethiopian Spice)



Ingredients

• 2 tsp whole cumin
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ tsp cardamom pods
• 1 ½ tsp fenugreek
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 9 whole allspice berries
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 ½ Tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Mix together all ground ingredients in a jar
2. Toast whole spices in pan until they release their aromas
3. Grind whole spices in spice grinder and mix together
4. If using in a recipe that calls for paste, add 1 tbsp of red wine and 1 Tbsp of oil for every 3 Tbsp powder.

Wasn't that easy? You can keep it around in a jar for all future uses with vegetables, lentils, and meat!

Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter)



Ingredients

• 1 lb unsalted butter
• ½ onion, chopped
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 1 inch pieces of ginger, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• ½ tsp turmeric

Directions

1. Simmer all ingredients in saucepan over low heat for 1 hour
2. Strain out solids and pour off only the fat. Leave the solids
3. Store in refrigerator.

That was easy too! Keep it in the refrigerator and use it for anything. Now onto the real recipe.

Sik Sik Wat (Ethiopian Stewed Beef)



Ingredients

• 2 lbs stew beef
• 1 lemon, juice
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 onions, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger root
• ¼ cup niter kibbeh, oil or clarified butter
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• ¼ - ½ cup berbere paste
• ¾ cup water or stock
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1 tsp + cayenne pepper, depending on taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4-6 hard boiled eggs (optional)

Directions

1. Rub stew beef with salt and lemon juice. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Melt down butter in a large pan. Add paprika to color the oil
3. Add berbere paste and cook for 3 minutes, making sure not to burn.
4. Add onions, garlic and ginger, cooking for 10 minutes until soft and most moisture is evaporated
5. Add beef, water, wine and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 45 minutes for until beef is tender and sauce has thickened. Add water as necessary to keep sauce a thick consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste
6. Hard boil eggs if using and peel them.
7. Add eggs to the wat and simmer for 15 more minutes before serving.

I've always loved Ethiopian food. It's such a fun food to eat with your hands, share with friends, and explore a new culture of spices that are familiar to me, but that I have never used in this way before. In my exploration into Ethiopian food, I discovered a few key components of Ethiopian cuisine that are indispensable. They really are what create the flavors.

1. Teff: a grass native to northeast africa. Until making dinner, I had never heard of teff before. It can be ground into flour and is completely gluten free so it can be used by those with celiacs disease. It has a nutty, earthy flavor and is used to make injera. My injera came out horribly, so the recipe will not be posted. here, but it is an essential ingredient.

2. Berbere: a spice mixture usually containing chili, garlic, ginger, tumeric, fenugreek, allspice and cardamom (among other things). It's the spice powder that's usually added to... everything.

3. Niter Kibbeh: a spiced version of clarified butter, make by infusing the oil with cinnamon, ginger, onion tumeric, fenugreek, etc. Also used in practically everything.

Because of that, this is going to be a really really long post as this will have 3 recipes. You'll get a recipe for the spice, the butter and the main dish (of course, you can use normal clarified butter if you want, and you can use a packaged berbere spice, but what's the fun in that?) You really need these flavors and you can always adjust up the heat. And for a more traditional doro wat, just sub chicken for the beef.

Berbere (Ethiopian Spice)



Ingredients

• 2 tsp whole cumin
• 2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 ½ tsp cardamom pods
• 1 ½ tsp fenugreek
• 10 whole peppercorns
• 9 whole allspice berries
• 6 whole cloves
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 ½ Tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions

1. Mix together all ground ingredients in a jar
2. Toast whole spices in pan until they release their aromas
3. Grind whole spices in spice grinder and mix together
4. If using in a recipe that calls for paste, add 1 tbsp of red wine and 1 Tbsp of oil for every 3 Tbsp powder.

Wasn't that easy? You can keep it around in a jar for all future uses with vegetables, lentils, and meat!

Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced butter)



Ingredients

• 1 lb unsalted butter
• ½ onion, chopped
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 2 1 inch pieces of ginger, sliced
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 tsp fenugreek
• ½ tsp turmeric

Directions

1. Simmer all ingredients in saucepan over low heat for 1 hour
2. Strain out solids and pour off only the fat. Leave the solids
3. Store in refrigerator.

That was easy too! Keep it in the refrigerator and use it for anything. Now onto the real recipe.

Sik Sik Wat (Ethiopian Stewed Beef)



Ingredients

• 2 lbs stew beef
• 1 lemon, juice
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 onions, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh grated ginger root
• ¼ cup niter kibbeh, oil or clarified butter
• 2 Tbsp paprika
• ¼ - ½ cup berbere paste
• ¾ cup water or stock
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1 tsp + cayenne pepper, depending on taste
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4-6 hard boiled eggs (optional)

Directions

1. Rub stew beef with salt and lemon juice. Let sit for 30 minutes.
2. Melt down butter in a large pan. Add paprika to color the oil
3. Add berbere paste and cook for 3 minutes, making sure not to burn.
4. Add onions, garlic and ginger, cooking for 10 minutes until soft and most moisture is evaporated
5. Add beef, water, wine and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 45 minutes for until beef is tender and sauce has thickened. Add water as necessary to keep sauce a thick consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste
6. Hard boil eggs if using and peel them.
7. Add eggs to the wat and simmer for 15 more minutes before serving.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad