Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Tsebhi Birsen (Spicy Lentils)

This is a traditional Eritrean recipe for a classic stew of lentils cooked in a tomato-based sauce with Berbere spice, cardamom and cumin.



Ingredients

250g red lentils
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large onion, minced
2 tbsp Berbere spice
200g tomatoes, blanched, peeled and sliced
2 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp ground Ethiopian cardamom (or substitute ground black cardamom)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
salt and black pepper, to taste

Berbere Spice preparation: This is a common Ethiopian sauce that is hot and spicy tasting. Made with the seeds of cumin, cardamom, coriander, and fenugreek that are combined with garlic, ground cloves, turmeric, grated gingerroot, black pepper, salt, paprika, cinnamon, and dried red chiles, this sauce provides a distinctive tangy flavor for ethnic foods.


Method:

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onions until lightly golden. Add the berbere spice and fry for 5 minutes more then add all the remaining ingredients (except the lentils) and simmer briefly. Add the lentils, season and cover with 300ml boiling water. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for an hour (add more water as necessary).

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