So this has been on my to-make list for about 2 years. I was inspired to give it a shot by my visits to a local Ethiopian restaurant in Madison. They always served the meal with injira which is a fermented bread; it's a bit rubbery in texture. I assure you, it's quite a bit better than what it sounds. Alas, I did not have any injira handy when I concocted this one. As a result, I served it with rice.
•2 lb Chicken legs and thighs, skinless
•1 Lemon, juice only
•2 tsp Salt
•2 Onions, chopped
•3 Garlic cloves, crushed
•1 TBSP Gingerroot, peeled and chopped
•1/4 cup Oil, butter or niter kibbeh
•2 TBSP Paprika
•1/4-1/2 cup Berberé paste
•3/4 cup Water or stock
•1/4 cup Red wine
•1 tsp Cayenne pepper
•Salt and pepper, to taste
So do I get to put Berbere paste as a separate recipe on my blog? I think I am a bit desperate to catch up. I think I will do that. The paste itself took about an hour to make. It required grinding my spices by hand; my back was sore after that endeavor.
Quite honestly, this recipe was a bit of a let-down given that it took me a few months to gather the ingredients for the paste and the utensils needed to make it. Overall, it was a tad bit bitter. The sauce almost looks like a tomato-based sauce but as you can see above, there isn't a single tomato to be found. I wonder if it would suit my palate if I added a can of diced tomatoes or perhaps a small can of tomato sauce. I am also beginning to wonder if I am not using the gingerroot properly... In every recipe that has called for ginerroot, it has left behind a bitter aftertaste. Am I not peeling away enough of the skin? Should I be cooking it longer? I am to the point where I find myself somewhat relieved if a recipe calls for ginger powder instead of the fresh version.
All in all, I would like to try this again. It just wasn't as grandiose as I was hoping it would be. I might try tweaking it with the the tomato sauce... So for now, I am going to give this recipe 6 stars out of 10.
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