Key Wat (Ethiopian Red Stew)

Key wat is a flavorful and aromatic Ethiopian stew made with tender beef simmered in a rich and spicy red sauce.

60 min

Ingredients

• 500 grams (1.1 lbs) beef, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter) or regular butter
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon berbere spice blend
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric
• Salt, to taste
• 2 cups beef or vegetable broth
• Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, for garnish

Steps

1. Heat the niter kibbeh or butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the chopped onions to the pot and sauté until they become soft and translucent.
3. Add the minced garlic and stir for a minute until fragrant.
4. Stir in the berbere spice blend, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, turmeric, and salt. Mix well to coat the onions and garlic with the spices.
5. Add the beef cubes to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are browned on all sides.
6. Pour the beef or vegetable broth into the pot, ensuring that the beef is fully submerged.
7. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for about 1.5–2 hours or until the beef is tender and the flavors have melded together.
8. Adjust the seasoning with salt and additional spices if desired.
9. Serve hot, garnished with freshly chopped cilantro or parsley.

More recipes with beef, niter kibbeh, onion, garlic, berbere, paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, cardamom, coriander, cinnamon, ginger or turmeric

Adapted from “Key Wat (Ethiopian Red Stew)” in the Wikibooks Cookbook by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Reformatted for this site; this page's recipe text is shared under the same license.