Wednesday 21 March 2012

Ethiopian Wot (Ethiopian Chicken)

My flair for cooking is not restricted to Indian Cuisine alone.
This dish is one of the first non-Indian curries, I learnt several years back while in Dortmund, Germany.
I remember going to this Ethiopian food joint in Dortmund, just to have a their bread called "Injera" and this tasty chicken called "Wot".I used to go this joint since "Injera" and "Wot" was the closest I could get to the Indian 'Butter naan' and 'Butter chicken'.
That Ethiopian lady made this dish so effortlessly, but yes her main ingredient was a masala just like the Indian Garam Masala, called "Berbere".
After persistently asking that lady, I found out that it had almost all the ingredients which we know and use,  but in different proportions.

To get Berbere powder, 
Method 1
Mix together:
fenugreek - 1/2 tsp 
red chilli powder  1/2 cup ( use the non-spicy chilli powder)
Salt - 1 tbsp
ginger powder - 1 tsp 
onion powder - 1 tsp
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
ground coriander - 1/2 tsp
ground nutmeg - 1/4 tsp 
garlic powder - 1/4 tsp
ground cloves - 1/4 tsp
ground cinnamon - 1/4 tsp


Method 2
Alternately you could dry grind all the whole spices in the following proportions:
Fenugreek whole - 1/2 tsp
red chillies whole - 1/2 cup
Dry ginger - 1 inch
Onion seeds or Kalonji - 1 tsp
Cardamom - 5
Coriander seeds - 1/2 rsp
Nutmeg - small piece
roasted garlic - 1 clove
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon piece - 2 inch piece
Store in airtight jar and use when required. 

Ingredients for Wot (Chicken gravy):
Any oil - 1 tbsp
Onion - 1 - chopped
Berbere - 2 tbsp
Chicken drumsticks - 6
garlic -1 clove - crushed
fresh ginger - 1 inch
Ghee/ clarified butter - 50 ml
chopped fresh coriander - 1 tsp
Salt and pepper to taste


Method:
Take a heavy bottomed pan, add oil and fry onions, garlic and ginger till transparent.
Add "berbere" and fry till it releases a good aroma.
Add the clarified butter and chicken pieces and fry them, gently turning the meat.
Add 1 cup water and cover and cook it all the water evaporates and chicken is well cooked.
Garnish with chopped coriander.
Serve with any bread.

3 comments:

  1. I am gonna try this recipe today !!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I made it yesterday !!!! It is a superb recipe ! Thanks for sharing !!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Gagan Sood! I am glad u liked it.

    ReplyDelete

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