Doro Wot

For the makelesha (optional but worth it):
Heat cardamom seeds, cumin seeds, and cloves over medium high heat until they start to become fragrant. Once fragrant, take off heat and add into a spice grinder or mortar and pestle with other ingredients. Grind finely into a powder.

For the niter kibbeh:
Heat garlic, ginger, cardamom seeds, and cloves over medium heat in a small saucepan until fragrant. Once fragrant, take off heat and mix all niter kibbeh ingredients in a bowl together when the butter is at room temperature and can be easily mixed.

For the door wot:
Take a stockpot or Dutch oven and put over medium heat. Add onions only and start to heat. Stir onions around frequently—you don’t want them to brown, but you want them to sweat and get a bit translucent.

Once onions are a bit glossy, add garlic, ginger, and niter kibbeh to stockpot and stir until well mixed. Turn heat down to low and let simmer together for about 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, add berbere and 1 cup regular water. Stir berbere in thoroughly, cover pot, and let sit for 30 minutes. Over the course of 30 minutes though, be sure to stir as frequently as every 2 minutes. Don’t let anything cake at the bottom.

As berbere and onions simmer, combine chicken and lemon juice in a bowl. Rub chicken with lemon juice and sprinkle salt on top. Work well into chicken.

After 30 minutes, add club soda to berbere and onions and mix around. Let simmer for another 5 or so minutes.

Once chicken is softened, after at least 30 minutes, add to berbere and onions. Cover chicken with mixture and let simmer for at least 45 minutes. As chicken is added and starts to simmer, hard boil eggs. Peel them from shell and cut a small ‘X’ shape into bottom of egg. This helps the egg capture more flavor from the doro wot.

At the 30-minute mark (of the 45 minutes the chicken simmers), add eggs and remaining ½ cup regular water. Stir well and cover eggs with mixture. Cover and let simmer for the last 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, taste doro wot and add salt and pepper as you see fit. If desired, add makelesha as well and stir. Let simmer for 5 minutes or so before serving.

Recipe for Doro Wot adapted from How to Cook Great Ethiopian, recipe for makelesha spice blend from Jabberwocky Stew.