Ethiopian Tibs & Injera (+ Berebere Spice Blend)

I was introduced to Ethiopian food only a few years ago when I learned about a handful of restaurants near my crib that were supposed to be great. Long story short, over the tears, I’ve eaten at a couple of them and leave dinner feeling blown away every time. Imagine an amalgamation of 7 or 8 vastly different lentil dishes, braised meats, pickled vegetables and bright salads all on the same plate; but it’s not actually on a plate, each dish is perfectly portions on a large, tangy, fermented pancake made from Teff flour called Injera. Injera is made from teff flour and it’s not only a vessel for hand-spooning bites of dank, spiced, Ethiopian eats in your mouth-hole, it’s MF DISHWARE! I love it and I think you’re going to love it.

Below is my take on Ethiopian Tibs, injera, and the “Berbere” spice blend which is super prominent in the countries cuisine. If you’re not going to make the tibs or injera from this video, do yourself a solid and make the spice blend because it’s good on pretty much every protein imaginable (maybe except for a mild, delicate fish). You got this. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments.

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Ethiopian Beef Tibs & Injera (+ Berebere Spice Blend)

Ingredients

Beef Tibs (3-4 servings)

• 1/4 cup Ghee or Unsalted Butter
• 2 Yellow Onions, diced
• 1 Roma Tomato, diced
• 3 Tbsp Ginger, minced
• 6 Garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp Berbere Spice (see below)
• 1 pound Lean Beef, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 1 tsp Neutral Oil
• 1 Jalapeño, sliced thin
• Lemon juice, to taste
• Kosher salt, to taste

Injera (3-6 flatbreads)

• 2 cup Teff Flour
• 3 cups Water
• 1 tsp Kosher Salt

Berbere Spice Blend (1 cup)

• 5 Tbsp Smoked Paprika
• 1 Tbsp ground Ginger
• 1 Tbsp ground Garlic
• 1 Tbsp Cayenne Pepper
• 2 tsp ground Cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground Fenugreek
• 1 tsp ground White Pepper
• 1 tsp ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp ground Cumin
• 1 tsp ground Cardamon

Instructions

Beef Tibs

1. In a pan over medium-low heat, melt in the butter then add the onions, tomato, garlic, ginger and Berbere spice. SLOWLY cook the onion mixture down until they’re very dark and browned but not burnt, about 20 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and pulse to form a semi-smooth puree with a few chunks. Taste and adjust for salt then pour the puree back into the pan and set aside.
2. In a separate pan over medium high heat, add the neutral oil then season the beef with salt and add it in. Brown the beef, in batches if need be, until each cube is seared and darkened, about 2-3 minutes total. Add the jalapeños and cook until just softened, 2-3 minutes. Transfer the beef and jalapeños to the pan full of sauce. Season with lemon juice and more salt if needed. Serve with injera and CRUSH!

Injera (Tangy Flatbread)

1. Mix the water and teff flour in a large sealable container. Leave on the counter at room temperature for 2-4 days. Mix once each day. The longer the injera ferments, the tangier it will become.
2. Just before you're about to make the injera, add the salt and mix well. Bring a large non-stick pan over medium heat and add in enough fermented batter to coat the pan. Cook until the top of the injera begins to darken and look drier in texture. Remove the pancake from the heat. Serve with Beef Tibs.

Berbere Spice Blend

1. In a large non-stick pan, toast the whole spices until just barely fragrant. Remove and grind into a powder. Mix well with the other spices. Store in a resealable container at room temperature and use as needed.