Ha, my aversion to hard boiled eggs always makes me wish I could order this without them, and only chicken. If only we could dine out together.
1 Like
I was about to say, the eggs certainly make it go further for whoever Iām sharing it with, because I donāt eat them! (I like eggs other ways, just not hard boiled, even with the benefit of tasty sauce.)
1 Like
I have never liked boiled eggs in it when Iāve eaten it out, and I skip them in Biryani usually too 
ā my dining companions are always pleased not to have to share the egg!
But I had boiled and frozen a bunch before I traveled last, so I thought worst case I wouldnāt eat the eggs ā which I didnāt know what to do with from the freezer anyway.
I do like egg curry, though, and turns out this was just like an egg curry.
1 Like
Yeah, whenever Iāve eaten this out, I always wanted another piece of chicken, not the egg.
Also, Iāve always encountered it made with chicken legs, which have the least amount of chicken possible
Yep, invariably small drumsticks in equal quantity to eggs, too.
Iāve never gotten more than 1 drumstick and 1 egg in a serving around here
1 Like
Ethiopian and Eritrean places around here (where theyāre thick on the ground) generally have dishes meant for sharing, and doro wat Iāve had often comes with two of each, so basically the same if there are two people.
Yes, theyāre sharing portions here too, just smaller for nyc maybe.
Gets people over eating with their fingers quickly when you have to take chicken off the leg bone
Oddly, lamb, which is a more expensive protein, seemed to always come with more meat. Whether Alicha or Tibs.
Chicken dishes where itās served in chunks (like versions of tibs) certainly have more chicken at similar prices.
1 Like
Question not a report yet about NITER KIBBEH, p. 52
His recipe calls for cooking the clarified butter in three stages, all over low heat for a total of 15 to 20 minutes cooking time.
First, the butter alone is melted while skimming off foam, and then cooked for 5 minutes to get the solid residue to sink to the bottom without darkening. Cool a bit, then strain liquid into a clean saucepan; solids at the bottom are discarded.
Second, he puts the nigella, coriander, and cardamom seeds into the strained butter and cooks 5 to 10 minutes.
Third, he puts the koseret and besobela in and cooks for 5 more minutes.
Most of the other recipes Iāve seen for Niter Kibbeh call for toasting the spices first, then adding the butter, and very slowly bring it to a very low simmer for around an hour. So cook butter with all spices in one step for 3 times as long.
Back when injera and other Ethiopian was DOTM on Chowhound, I recall overcooking my Niter Kebbeh. It wasnāt so burnt to be inedible, but I definitely want to avoid overcooking it this time. I thought about using a slow cooker or the microwave to help avoid burning, but I couldnāt find reference to those methods on the internet. I know very low heat and careful attention is essential.
Does anyone with experience making this have advice for how long to cook it? 15 to 20 minutes versus 60 minutes seems drastically different.
I am getting started very late this month due to being sick (not covid) for well over a week and unanticipated stressful issues with some of my sonās service providers. Before I got sick, I was able to get to our excellent Boston area spice shop and purchase koseret, besobela, and korerima, so I am all set with the spices at least, and hope to be posting soon!
@Madrid Just a PSA not to use the microwave for clarified (or brown) butter ā it will splatter at some point, no matter how careful you are and how low of a power you run it on.
I think a slow cooker is fussier than necessary, because it will be unwieldy to pour and strain hot fat. I use a medium-sized steel pot with a rim that makes pouring easy, and plenty of headroom (ie taller saucepan better than wider saute pan) for the sputtering. A lid or spatter guard also helps.
I donāt think 15-20 mins is realistic, because everything needs to be done on low to medium low heat. Thatās probably that amount of time to get the water evaporated and milk solids to settle, but I think thatās probably ambitious even for that. It does depend on how much butter is being clarified, though ā maybe his numbers work for just a stick (I tend to do a lb or 2 at a time if Iām going to do it.)
One big shortcut to consider is to buy ghee (many places carry it now, even TJs), and then infuse some of it with the spices. (Homemade ghee is better, but clarified butter is not homemade ghee, so youāre not losing anything by starting with store-bought).
Hope you feel better soon, and that the stress resolves constructively.
2 Likes
Hope youāre feeling better!
1 Like
Thanks so much! The microwave and slow cooker tips to avoid are very helpful.
Heās using 500 grams/1 pound, 2 ounces of butter, so I will definitely aim for about an hour depending on how it goes.
Iām feeling a bit better but it may be time to test for covid again. So many people are sick around here. I am old enough to have gotten the RSV vaccine, but Iāve heard you can still get a mild case even if vaccinated, like with covid and influenza.
1 Like
Thanks! It could well be that the long-enduring stress with providers is making me physically sick!
1 Like
I would really recommend starting with purchased ghee ā youāll lose nothing in flavor, just a bunch of unnecessary effort 
2 Likes
I wonder if some high Gluten Bread Flour would help 
You are only cooking on one side, yes?
I do not think the pretoasting of the Spices is necessary since they are going to be toasted in the Butter.
The Method described in the Book seems to written so that Novices avoid the Problem you had, of Spices or Herbs burning.
I do think the cooking Time is a bit short but again if it goes too long its all over.
Personally I put everything in at the start and go with Med. heat till the the Whey is gone then reduce the heat to simmer for 45 Min. or so.
Also I do not skim and try not to brown the Solids. Strain through Cheese Cloth .
1 Like
Well, thereās zero flour in dosa or appam batter 
I know I can add wheat flour and it will ameliorate the issue to an extent, but Iām trying not to do that (for now anyway)
Pretty sure fermentation is the issue. Yesterday I cheated and added some yeast, which was slightly better, but not by much.
1 Like
I get ya.
The Fermentation Process (I am sure you know) for Injera is pretty darn lengthy.
I would imagine that the Sour Dough Starter part of the Recipe is key to the super spongy/elastic texture.
1 Like
Iām not trying to make injera, though, if I could just get to my usual set dosa texture Iāll be a happy camper
1 Like
