Ethiopian Beef Stew in Red Pepper Sauce (Sik Sik Wat)
Ethiopian cuisine is anything but boring—it’s an adventure for the palate, often spicy yet incredibly delicious. If you’re new to it, prepare to swoon over each bite, as it’s bursting with unique flavors. Doro wot is often an introduction to this colorful cuisine, a flavorful chicken stew served with injera, the traditional Ethiopian flatbread made from teff.
While a good starting point, it certainly won’t be your last. This stew is just the beginning! Rich and hearty stews filled with vegetables, meats, and spices with earthy and pungent flavors are an Ethiopian favorite. One standout is Sik Sik Wat, a Beef Stew in red pepper sauce—a spicy dish with a tantalizing aroma and vibrant color that will mesmerize your senses.
What is Sik Sik Wat?
Simply put, “wat,” also spelled as “wot” or “w’et,” refers to a spicy stew made with meat and vegetables. Sik Sik Wat is a specific type of wat, specifically a spicy beef stew. Its sauce is enriched with berbere, a fiery red paprika spice blend commonly used in Ethiopian cuisine, especially in wats.
Berbere typically includes chili powder, paprika, fenugreek, ginger, garlic, cardamom, cinnamon, and various other spices. Another essential element of Sik Sik Wat is niter kebbeh, a fragrant clarified butter often spiced with fenugreek, cumin, and turmeric commonly used in wat.
How to Prepare Sik Sik Wat
You don’t need to plan a special night out to visit an Ethiopian restaurant to enjoy this dish. Instead, you can prepare this exotic, spicy meal right at home. While Sik Sik Wat is not difficult to make, it does feature an unusual cooking technique that some may not be accustomed to. For instance, the recipe starts by sautéing onions in a dry skillet without oil. This requires close attention to ensure the onions do not burn as they slowly cook and release moisture.
After this, niter kibbeh, a spicy clarified butter, is added, and the onions are sauteed for an additional time, causing them to break down further, eventually helping thicken the stew. The spicy butter, berbere, and other spices transform this dish into a warming stew.
Is Sik Sik Wat Spicy?
Sik sik wat is not your typical stew. It certainly warms the soul, but it may also scorch the tongue if you’re not careful. However, its incredibly abundant blend of spices is no less delicious. It gets its punch primarily from berbere, a key ingredient in many Ethiopian dishes. Berbere is a spice blend made from various spices, including chili peppers, garlic, ginger, korarima, black pepper, and fenugreek. Other ingredients like onions, garlic, and ginger give the stew’s zippy and fiery profile even more zap!
Ethiopian Beef Stew in Red Pepper Sauce (Sik Sik Wat) Recipe
Ethiopian Sik Sik Wat
Ingredients
- 2 Cups Onion Finely Chopped
- 1/3 Cup Niter Kebbeh, spicy ghee
- 2 Cups Garlic finely, chopped
- 2 tsp Fresh Ginger Root, finely chopped)
- 1/4 tsp Fenugreek Seeds, freshly ground
- 1/8 tsp Cloves, ground
- 1/8 tsp allspice, ground
- 1/8 tsp Nutmeg, freshly ground
- 1/4 Cup Paprika
- 2 tsp Berbere or Awaze, ( red chili powder )
- 2/3 Cups Dry Red Wine
- 1/2 Cup Water
- 1 Large Tomato, Pureed
- 2 tsp Salt
- 3 lb Lean Boneless Beef, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- 1. In a heavy stainless steel pot, dry cook the onions over medium heat for 5 minutes or until they are soft and dry. Carefully move the pot back and forth over the heat, stirring the onions frequently to prevent burning. Remove the pan from the heat if the onions start to burn, allowing the onions and pan to cool slightly before returning to heat. 2. Pour the niter kebbeh over the onions and stir to combine. When the onion and spicy ghee mixture starts to splutter, add the garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, stirring frequently. 3. Reduce the heat to low, add the paprika and berbere, stir to combine, and cook for 3 minutes. 4. Next, pour the wine, water, tomato puree, and salt. Stir until well blended. Bring to a boil. 5. Carefully incorporate the beef cubes into the mix. Using a spoon, coat the meat in the sauce, stirring it until it is well coated. 6. Cover the pan partially and continue cooking the mixture on low heat, simmering the beef until fork tender for about 1 1/2 hours or until it shows an internal temperature of 145 degrees on a thermometer. Add fresh ground pepper to taste. 7. To serve, transfer the wat to a deep-heated platter or bowl. Sik sik wat is traditionally paired with injera or spice bread but may also be eaten with boiled rice. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Commonly Asked Questions:
Can I purchase niter kebbeh?
Yes, niter kebbeh is available to purchase. Online retailers such as Walmart and Amazon sell it, as well as small international markets that carry Ethiopian specialties. However, if you’re in a pinch, you can also prepare niter kebbeh at home from scratch.
Niter Kebbeh
Ingredients
- 2 lbs Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
- 1 Small Onion, Chopped
- 3 tbsp Garlic, finely chopped
- 4 tsp Fresh Ginger Root, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 Cardamom Pod, slightly crushed
- 1 Stick of Cinnamon
- 1 Whole Clove
- 1/8 tsp Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
- 1. Carefully melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat without letting it brown. Increase the heat to medium-high, bringing the butter to a boil. 2. Add the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and nutmeg. Reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook the mixture uncovered without disruption, about 45 minutes or when the milk solids on the bottom are golden brown and the butter is translucent.3. Strain the clear liquid niter kebbeh into a bowl through a fine sieve lined with dampened cheesecloth. Discard any loose seasonings. 4. Pour the kebbeh into an airtight jar with a lid, cover, and store it in the refrigerator until ready to use. Niter kebbeh will keep for 2 to 3 months.
