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Mesir Wat (Ethiopian Red Lentils)

One of my favorite ways to enjoy lentils and the Ethiopian Berbere makes this dish awesome. This is a simplified and quick way to make it although there are a few different berbere sauce recipes on this site you can try.

Ingredients

  • 2 onions chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves crushed
  • 2 teaspoons gingerroot peeled, minced
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 2 tablespoons paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper can go up to 2 T.
  • 1 lb red lentil
  • 4 cups water or stock
  • salt & pepper

Instructions

  1. Puree onion, garlic, and ginger in a food processor or blender.
  2. Heat oil, butter or niter kibbeh in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add turmeric, paprika and cayenne pepper and stir rapidly to color oil and cook spices through, about 30 seconds. Add onion puree and sauté on medium heat until excess moisture evaporates and onion loses its raw aroma, about 5-10 minutes. Do not burn.
  3. Add lentils and water. Bring to a boil and simmer till lentils are cooked through and fall apart, about 30-40 minutes. Add water if necessary to keep from drying out. This should be the consistency of a thick paste so that it can be scooped up with injera.
  4. Stir in salt and pepper to taste and serve.