Ethiopian Lentils With Berebere Spice Mix

Total Time: 1 hr 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb lentils
• 6 cups water or 6 cups vegetable broth
• 6 cups mild green chilies, roasted peeled, seeded and chopped* (see note)
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced (or more)
• fresh ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons cumin seeds or 2 teaspoons powdered cumin
• 1 teaspoon cardamom seeds (shell off husks) or 1 teaspoon cardamom powder
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice (or ground)
• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds (or powder)
• 1 teaspoon coriander seed (or powder)
• 8 whole cloves or 8 ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns or 1 teaspoon freshly ground peppercorn
• 5 teaspoons red pepper flakes or 5 teaspoons crumbled dried red peppers
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot (or 1/2 teaspoon dried)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sweet paprika (can use hot)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 lentils:.
• 2 bring lentils and broth to boil and simmer 10 minutes.
• 3 add chiles, onion, garlic, and berebere spices. cook covered for another 30 minutes, until most of liquid is absorbed.
• 4 serve with ground black pepper to taste.
• 5 for a vegetarian meal, these lentils are good with a dollop of yogurt, brown rice and sliced tomatoes.
• 6 berebere spice mix:.
• 7 toast all the seeds and whole cloves in a small frying pan for 2 minutes, stirring constantly (open window or turn on the stove vent--it can smoke). grind the spices in a spice grinder. if you are using pre-ground spices, ignore and go on to the next step.
• 8 mix all remaining ingredients. place in a tightly covered container and refrigerate. this mixture can used with many combinations of legumes, rice or vegetables.
• 9 note: *or: 1 bell pepper chopped + 14-oz can chopped green chiles.
• 10 note two : there are two ways to make this berebere spice mix - with whole spices that you grind, or with powdered versions of the spices. the first way gives you a more powerful flavor, but it may be more practical the second way, particularly if you don't have a spice grinder.
• 11 yield: 6 to 10 servings.