Here is an overview of how to make some classic Ethiopian Food:
Doro Wot (Chicken Stew):
1. Marinate chicken pieces in lemon juice, berbere spice mix, and other spices.
2. Sauté onions, garlic, ginger in niter kibbeh (clarified butter).
3. Add the marinated chicken and hard-boiled eggs.
4. Pour in chicken stock and simmer until chicken is cooked through.
5. Adjust seasonings with more berbere, salt, and lemon.
Misir Wot (Red Lentil Stew):
1. Rinse and drain red lentils.
2. Sauté onions, garlic, ginger, and berbere in oil.
3. Add the lentils and stock/water and simmer until lentils are soft.
4. Season with salt, lemon juice, and more berbere if needed.
Injera Bread:
1. Mix teff flour with water and let it ferment for a few days to develop the sour taste.
2. Stir in more water and a bit of the fermented batter to create the injera batter.
3. Cook the batter in a circular motion on a hot greased pan or flat surface to create the spongy, crepe-like bread.
Gomen (Collard Greens):
1. Chop and rinse collard greens.
2. Sauté onions, garlic, ginger in niter kibbeh.
3. Add the greens and a little stock/water.
4. Season with berbere, salt, and lemon juice.
5. Simmer until greens are tender.
Shiro Wot (Ground Chickpea Stew):
1. Make the shiro powder by toasting chickpea flour with spices like cumin, cardamom, cloves.
2. Sauté onions, garlic in oil/niter kibbeh.
3. Add tomato paste, shiro powder and vegetable stock.
4. Simmer until thick and season with salt and berbere.
The key aspects are properly fermenting the injera, using the signature spice blend berbere, cooking slowly with aromatics like onion/garlic/ginger, and using niter kibbeh clarified butter for richness. Proper seasoning with lemon and salt is also essential.