Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Soup with Niter Kibbeh – eSoupRecipes

I love lentils and lentil soup, but after a while I get tired of the same old-same old and know it’s time to mix it up.

The plan?

What better way to perk up lentils than to bring in the flavors of Ethiopia, one of the world’s most ancient cuisines?

Butter made better

This Spicy Ethiopian Lentil soup’s base flavor begins with a spiced clarified butter called Niter Kibbeh. You can purchase Niter Kibbeh online or at an African grocery, but it’s more fun and satisfying to make your own. This gorgeous, golden-yellow elixir is deliciously aromatic and seductive. I couldn’t help taking the lid off the jar and passing it back and forth with my wife, each of us inhaling deeply as if the Niter Kibbeh were some fresh blossom of spring. There is clarified butter and then there is Niter Kibbeh. It is amazing.

But what about the spicy?

What gives this soup its kick is the use of Berbere (pronounced bear-bear-EH). Berbere is a signature spice mix of Ethiopia with a rich, reddish color.  It consists of numerous spices including allspice, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, paprika, black pepper and cayenne pepper. The latter is usually the primary ingredient, which gives Berbere its fiery character.

This Berbere recipe from Chef Marcus Samuelsson is a very good one. Otherwise, you can purchase a ready-to-go Berbere spice mix online.

Let’s begin with the Niter Kibbeh!

Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Soup with Niter Kibbeh

3.2.2925

Now, onto the Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Soup!

Spicy Ethiopian Lentil Soup with Niter Kibbeh

3.2.2925

Looking for the perfect pot to cook up your next batch of soup? I recommend the Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven. It comes in 11 different colors and is an excellent value for the price.