Misir Wot (Ethiopian Spiced Red Lentil Stew)

Ingredients

Method

1. 1

   Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed 3-quart saucepan over medium heat.

2. 2

   Add the finely chopped onions and stir to coat with oil.

3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook the onions, stirring occasionally, until they are deep golden brown and sweet (this builds the stew's base flavor).

   Be patient — slow browning (not burning) is what gives traditional misir wot its depth.

   25 min
4. 4

   Add the minced garlic and ginger to the browned onions and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

   1 min
5. 5

   Stir in the berbere and cook for 30 seconds to bloom the spice, stirring constantly so it doesn't burn.

   If you don't have berbere, use 1 tbsp smoked paprika + 1 tsp cayenne + 1 tsp ground fenugreek (if available) + 1/2 tsp ground cumin; taste and adjust heat.

6. 6

   Add the tomato paste and stir, cooking 1–2 minutes to remove rawness.

   2 min
7. 7

   Stir in the rinsed red lentils and mix to coat with the spiced onion mixture.

8. 8

   Pour in the vegetable broth (or water) and bring the pot to a gentle boil, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.

   Deglazing lifts flavor from the pan into the stew.

9. 9

   Reduce heat to a low simmer, cover partially, and cook until the lentils are tender and the stew has thickened, stirring occasionally.

   20 min
10. 10

    Season with salt and black pepper, then stir in the lemon juice and simmer uncovered 2 minutes to meld flavors.

    2 min
11. 11

    Taste and adjust seasoning (more berbere or salt if desired).

12. 12

    Spoon the misir wot into bowls and garnish with sliced green onions and chopped cilantro if using.