Messer Wot | Misir Wot (Ethiopian Red Lentils Stew)

It is traditionally eaten with other Ethiopian delicacies such as gomen, doro wat, and kitfo. It is often served on top of Ethiopian injera, which can be found at halal supermarkets.

Messer wot starts with caramelized onions, cooked in niter kibbeh, Ethiopia’s popular and very fragrant spiced clarified butter. Garlic and tomato paste is added and then there is berbere, Ethiopia’s famed chili spice combination.

It is ordinarily fiery-hot (and what you get in Ethiopia is even hotter than what you’ll get elsewhere), but our recipes tones it down a little. Enjoy this classic messer wot recipe!

Ingredients

• 1½ cups red lentils
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 tbsps berbere mix
• 2 cups water

Instructions

• Cook 1 1/2 cups (270 g) of red lentils in 2 cups (470 ml) of water in a pressure cooker for about 30 minutes. When ready, set aside.
• Then, in a big pan, sauté a large finely chopped onion in a couple of tablespoons olive oil over low heat for 3-5 minutes or until transparent.
• Sauté the minced garlic cloves, then add 2 tbsp of berbere and a little water to keep it from sticking. Cover the pan and allow to simmer for another 2-3 minutes.
• Add the cooked lentils and cook everything on low heat for another 1/2 hour, or until the lentils have totally disintegrated. If you want the dish to be red rather than yellowish, go ahead and add some sweet paprika.
• This meal is generally eaten with injera, a spongy sourdough flatbread made with teff.