Zigni recipe

Eritrean beef stew where the meat never gets browned separately but poaches for hours in a sauce of dry-cooked onions, berbere and spiced butter.

3 hours and 40 minutesmedium10 ingredients

Ingredients

• 1000 g beef chuck
• 3 tbsp berbere spice
• 4 tbsp tesmi spiced clarified butter
• 3 red onions
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 4 clove garlic
• 1 tbsp ginger
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 500 ml water
• 1 tsp salt

How to make Zigni

1. Cut 1 kg of beef chuck into 2 cm cubes and leave it aside.
2. Chop 3 red onions very fine and cook them alone in a heavy pot over low heat for 30 minutes with no fat, adding a splash of water when they catch, until they melt down and darken.
3. Stir in 3 tablespoons of berbere and cook 5 minutes, then add 4 tablespoons of tesmi and cook 5 minutes more, until the fat turns red.
4. Add 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tablespoon of grated ginger, 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and 4 grated ripe tomatoes, and simmer 15 minutes.
5. Add the beef and turn it in the sauce for 10 minutes without searing it first, so it stays tender.
6. Pour in 500 ml of water, salt lightly and cover.
7. Simmer 2 to 2.5 hours on the lowest heat, stirring now and then and adding water by the ladle; it is ready when the meat gives under a spoon and the red fat separates on top.
8. Rest 10 minutes off the heat and serve on injera with a spoonful of tesmi melted over.

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