Ethiopian-Australian Doro Wat
A rich, slow-simmered Ethiopian spiced chicken stew packed with deep berbere chilli flavour, tender chook, and hard-boiled eggs.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 75 min
- Total
- 95 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 510 kcal
Equipment
- •Large heavy-based saucepan
- •Wooden spoon
- •Chef knife
- •Chopping board
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 510 kcal
- fat
- 28 g
- carbs
- 18 g
- fibre
- 4 g
- protein
- 44 g
- calories
- 510 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Rub the chicken pieces with lemon juice and half a teaspoon of salt, then rest for 15 minutes.
- 2
Add the finely diced red onions to a large dry saucepan over medium-low heat without any oil or butter.
- 3
Cook the onions slowly for 25 minutes, stirring frequently until all moisture evaporates and they soften into a paste.
- 4
Add the niter kibbeh, grated garlic, and ginger to the softened onions, cooking for 5 minutes until fragrant.
- 5
Stir in the berbere spice blend and ground cardamom, cooking gently on low heat for 3 minutes to bloom the spices.
- 6
Pour in the chicken stock and remaining salt, scraping the base of the pan to lift any caramelised bits.
- 7
Add the chicken pieces, cover the saucepan with a lid, and simmer over low heat for 35 minutes until tender.
- 8
Gently submerge the hard-boiled eggs into the sauce and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes until the gravy is dark and thick.
Chef's tips
Patience when dry-cooking the onions is crucial, as breaking them down slowly gives the stew its rich, glossy base. If you cannot find niter kibbeh, melt standard unsalted butter or ghee with a pinch of ground cardamom and fenugreek.
Ingredient substitutions
- niter kibbeh → plain ghee or unsalted butter with a pinch of fenugreek and cardamom
- berbere spice blend → a blend of hot paprika, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, cumin, and allspice
Storage
Store cooled stew in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; the spiced flavours deepen overnight.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of water until the chicken is piping hot throughout.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Rushing the onion cooking stage, resulting in a watery sauce instead of a thick, sweet base.
- •Cooking the berbere spice over high heat, which causes the ground chillies to scorch and turn bitter.
- •Skipping the egg-piercing step, which prevents the spicy sauce from permeating into the yolks.
Serving suggestions
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