Misir Wot, Ethiopian Red Lentils

Name: Misir Wot, Ethiopian Red Lentils
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Ingredients: 2 Yellow onions, finely diced; 4 cloves Garlic, minced; 1 tbsp Ginger, grated; 3 tbsp Berbere, unsalted; 2 tbsp Tomato paste; 1 1/2 cups Red lentils, rinsed; 1/2 Lemons, juiced

Serves 4 50 min total, 25 min hands on Ethiopian $0.57 per serving No added salt

Misir wot is the red lentil stew at the center of an Ethiopian plate. It usually starts with niter kibbeh, a spiced clarified butter, and a long fry of onions. Here the onions brown dry and slow to the same sweet, dark base, and unsalted berbere brings the heat and depth. The dish is naturally built for this way of cooking: lentils, aromatics, spice, no need for oil.

Ingredients

2 Yellow onions, finely diced
4 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Ginger, grated
3 tbsp Berbere, unsalted
2 tbsp Tomato paste
1 1/2 cups Red lentils, rinsed
1/2 Lemons, juiced

Method

Cook the onions in a dry pot over medium heat, stirring often, until they soften, collapse, and turn deep golden, about 12 minutes. Add small splashes of water when they stick. In Ethiopian kitchens this is done in a lot of spiced butter; done dry and slow, the onions still become the sweet, jammy foundation of the wot.
Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute.
Stir in the berbere and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a splash of water so the spices toast but do not scorch. This blooming step is where the heat turns round and deep. Use an unsalted berbere so you control the salt.
Add the lentils and 4 cups (1 L) water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring now and then, until the lentils fully collapse into a thick stew, 25 to 30 minutes. Add water if it tightens too far.
Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice. Taste. The stew should be rich and a little fiery. It thickens as it sits.
Serve warm, scooped up with injera or a whole grain flatbread, or over an intact grain.

Nutrition

Estimated per serving: 310 calories, 19 g protein, 11 g fiber. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement.

Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt.