Doro Wat

I'm going to keep my little intro here short and sweet - because this recipe is neither of those things. I had a craving for Ethiopian food, so I set about making the delicious Doro Wat - a kind of curry + stew, + delicious dish. Then I thought - this has all the makings of a taco. So rather than creating giant injera (crepe-like bread that you pull apart to use as a "utensil"), I made smaller taco-size bread and complimented it with some vegetable toppings. So it looks like a taco, tastes like Ethiopian and is literally the tastiest thing I have EVER made. No joke. You gotta make this now, it's worth the time investment. 

Doro Wat Recipe

Serves:  10+ tacos                       Prep Time:  1 hour                   Cook Time: 1 1/2 hour

Part One: Berbere Paste/Sauce

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp fenugreek seeds

4 cardamon pods

8 whole peppercorns

3 dried guajilo peppers

2 tsp allspice

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp ginger

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp kosher salt

1/2 white onion

3 garlic cloves

1/4 cup oil

1/4 cup red wine

Heat It

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the whole spices and peppers, toasting both and turning the peppers until they begin to give off a nice aroma, about 4 minutes. Grind the spices and chop the peppers, removing the stems and seeds. 

Blend it

Chop the onion and garlic. Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth. My "paste" came out as more of a sauce, but it still worked out great. Set aside for the next step. 

Part Two: Doro Wat

2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1/2 lemon

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 white onion

3 garlic cloves

1 tbsp grated ginger

1/4 cup margarine 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

2 tbsp paprika

1/2 cup berbere paste/sauce

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup wine

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Salt and pepper to taste

Prep It

Toss chicken, lemon and salt in a container and set aside for at least 30 min. Chop onion and garlic, then combine in a blender with grated ginger and puree until smooth. You may have to add some water to make this happen. 

Cook It

In a large pot, heat margarine and cinnamon over medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Once margarine is melted, stir in paprika for about a minute. Next, add the Berbere Paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often. Add the onion/garlic/ginger and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring often.  

Meat It

Add chicken, water, wine, cayenne, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce to low and cover. Let it simmer for an hour, checking on the liquid levels (if it gets low, add more water). My sauce was a little runny at the end, so I added some flour and brought the mixture to a boil again for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.  

Part Three: Injera

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 cup club soda

1/2 lemon

1 tbsp white vinegar

Mix It

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium. Combine lemon juice and white vinegar to set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and club soda. Mix with a fork to create a pancake-like batter. 

Make It

Pour about 2 tbsp of batter into the skillet. Using a spatula, spread the batter thinly across the surface of the skillet - working from the centre of the batter outward. Let cook for about 2 minutes, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and lightly brush the injera with the lemon/vinegar mixture on both sides. 

Part Four: Toppings

1/2 cup cabbage

1/2 cup carrots

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp garlic powder

Cook It 

Use the pre-heated skillet from the last step. Roughly chop cabbage and carrots. Combine in the skillet with oil, lemon juice, turmeric and garlic powder. Sauté for about 6 minutes, then remove from heat. 

Combine It

Pile the doro wat and veggies onto a piece of injera. You can eat it like a taco or tear pieces of injera off to sop up the sauce. Enjoy a little non-taco goodness.