DORO WOT (Ethiopian spicy chicken stew, for four)

This stew of chicken and hard-boiled eggs is one of the most recognized dishes of Ethiopia.  The key to making its delicious, sweet and spicy sauce is to cook the onions slowly until they’ve caramelized to make a deeply flavored base.  This recipe is based on one used by Elizabeth Goshu at her restaurant, Nyala, in Los Angeles.

4 tablespoons nit’r qibe (Ethiopian spiced butter) or unsalted butter

2 large yellow onions, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic

1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1-½ tablespoons berbere,plus more as needed

4 chicken legs (about 2-¼ pounds), skinned and divided into drumsticks and thighs

kosher salt to taste

4 whole hard-boiled eggs

injera (Ethiopian flatbread) to accompany

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1.  Heat the butter in a large, straight-sided skillet over medium-low heat.  Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized, about 25 minutes.  Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add berbere and 2 cups water; stir well.  Season the chicken all over with salt; nestle the pieces in the skillet.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, turning occasionally, until chicken is cooked through, about 40 minutes.

2.  Uncover skillet and raise heat to medium-high; simmer to reduce liquid until it has a thick, gravy-like consistency, about 5 minutes.  Add eggs; stir to warm through.  Taste and season with more berbere and salt, if necessary.  Serve hot with the injera.

from Saveur Magazine