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The Hirshon Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Curried Clarified Butter)

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Picture Used Under Creative Commons License From www.savorylotus.com

Image Used Under Creative Commons License From www.savorylotus.com

Ethiopian food has slowly gained more popularity in the United States and remains one of my all-time favorite cuisines. Combining a rarefied understanding of spice blends, Ethiopian food is a magnificent melting pot of African, Indian and Arabian influences that is well worth seeking out. Ethiopians are very fond of Niter Kibbeh, which is basically clarified butter infused with herbs and spices. Everyone in Ethiopia has their own version of this recipe – this is mine and it is relentlessly authentic.

Niter kibbeh, or niter qibe (Ge’ez ንጥር ቅቤ niṭer ḳibē), also called tesmi (in Tigrinya), is a seasoned, clarified butter used in Ethiopian cuisine. Its preparation is similar to that of ghee, but niter kibbeh is simmered with spices such as koseret, fenugreek, cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, or nutmeg before straining, imparting a distinct, spicy aroma. The version using vegetable oil instead of butter is called “yeqimem zeyet”.

Fear not, my Citizens – I include sources for all of these! 🙂

Feel free to modify or leave out ingredients as you see fit, just as the Ethiopians would. Use it anywhere in savory recipes you would butter and set your taste buds to DEFCON 3. 🙂 You can buy the rare Ethiopian spices at Brundo, the premier supplier of all Ethiopian cooking ingredients in the U.S.!

Battle on – The Generalissimo

The Hirshon Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Curried Clarified Butter)

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Ingredients

  • 1 pound unsalted butter, preferably from grass-fed cows
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, pounded
  • 2 ½ teaspoons black peppercorns
  • ½ tablespoons ground korerima
  • 1 tablespoon dried kosseret
  • 2 tablespoons dried besobela
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon mace (or increase nutmeg by ¼ teaspoon if unavailable)

Instructions

  1. Combine ginger, onion, and garlic, and pound to a coarse paste with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
  2. Toast whole spices in a medium hot dry frying pan until fragrant, remove and lightly crack spices to release flavor and aroma.
  3. Melt the butter over low heat, stirring constantly, taking care that it does not darken. Skim off the foam as it rises and continue cooking until all the foam is gone.
  4. Add the paste and all remaining ingredients to the butter and simmer, uncovered, at the lowest possible heat, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
  5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Pour off the transparent top layer and reserve it, leaving behind as much of the milk solids and spices as possible. Strain the transparent layer through several layers of cheesecloth.
  6. The butter will usually be an oil at room temperature and will solidify in the refrigerator, where it can be kept, covered, for 3 or 4 months.
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Comments

  1. Once you’ve done the melting and skimming, could you move this to a slow cooker and let it do its thing? I’m thinking of making a large batch, so that would be a reasonable vessel. Thanks

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