Beyaynetu

Beyaynetu (Ethiopian Fasting Platter)

Beyaynetu — 'a bit of everything' — is the classic Ethiopian fasting platter: a round of injera topped with small mounds of separately cooked lentils, split peas, greens, vegetables and chickpea purée. Each dish keeps its own colour and seasoning; diners tear injera and scoop with their hands.

Prep

30 min

Cook

120 min

Total

150 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) teff flour, for injera; substitute 250 g teff + 250 g whole-wheat or barley flour if unavailable
• •900 ml (3¾ cups) water, for injera batter
• •1 g (¼ tsp) fine salt
• •250 g (9 oz) red lentils
• •600 ml (2½ cups) water, for mesir wat
• •2 tbsp berbere spice blend
• •1 tsp sweet paprika, milder substitute if berbere is short
• •1 medium onion, finely chopped
• •2 cloves garlic, minced
• •1 tbsp tomato paste
• •250 g (9 oz) yellow split peas, rinsed, soaked 30 minutes
• •700 ml (3 cups) water, for kik alicha
• •1 tsp ground turmeric
• •1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
• •1 medium onion, finely chopped (kik alicha)
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) collard greens, stems removed, leaves sliced
• •1 medium onion, sliced (gomen)
• •2 cloves garlic, minced (gomen)
• •300 g (10½ oz) potato, peeled and cubed
• •250 g (9 oz) cabbage, cut into 3 cm / 1¼ in wedges
• •1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
• •1 tsp ground turmeric, for atkilt wat
• •2 beets beetroot, about 200 g / 7 oz, peeled and cubed
• •120 g (4 oz) shiro powder, ground roasted chickpea or broad-bean flour
• •350 ml (1½ cups) water, for shiro
• •1 medium onion, finely chopped (shiro)
• •3 tomatoes tomato, diced for fresh salad
• •1 small red onion, thinly sliced for salad
• •15 ml (1 tbsp) lemon juice
• •120 ml (½ cup) neutral vegetable oil, divided; replaces niter kibbeh for fasting
• •1 tsp salt, plus more to taste, divided

Steps

1. 1 Make the injera batter (2–3 days ahead for best flavour): whisk 500 g teff flour with 900 ml water and 1 g salt until smooth. Cover and leave at room temperature to ferment until slightly sour and bubbly, 2–3 days. (Time-saver: substitute a 1:1 blend of teff and whole-wheat flour and ferment overnight.)
2. 2 Cook injera: stir the batter — it should be the consistency of thin crêpe batter; add water if needed. Heat a 30 cm / 12 in non-stick skillet over medium-high and lightly film with oil. Pour about 180 ml / ¾ cup batter, swirl to coat, cover, and cook 1–2 minutes until the surface is dry and tiny holes have formed. Do not flip. Slide out and stack; cover to keep pliable. Repeat to make 6–8 injera.
3. 3 Mesir wat (red lentils): sauté 1 chopped onion in 30 ml oil over medium until softened, 5 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 tbsp berbere and 1 tsp paprika; cook 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in 1 tbsp tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add 250 g rinsed red lentils, 600 ml water and ½ tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils break down into a thick stew, 25–30 minutes. Adjust with hot water to keep it spoonable, not soupy.
4. 4 Kik alicha (yellow split peas): drain the soaked split peas. In a separate pot sauté 1 chopped onion in 30 ml oil until soft, 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp grated ginger and 1 tsp turmeric and cook 30 seconds. Add the split peas, 700 ml water and ½ tsp salt. Simmer until the peas are tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed, 40–50 minutes. Mash lightly; it should be a soft, dry purée.
5. 5 Gomen (collards): in a wide pan sauté 1 sliced onion in 20 ml oil until softened, 5 minutes. Add 2 minced garlic cloves and 500 g sliced collard greens; stir until wilted. Add 60 ml water and ¼ tsp salt, cover, and braise until the greens are silky, 20–25 minutes. Uncover and reduce any remaining liquid.
6. 6 Atkilt wat: in a separate pan sauté 1 chopped onion in 20 ml oil, 5 minutes. Add 1 tsp turmeric, then 300 g potato cubes, 250 g cabbage wedges and 1 sliced carrot. Stir for 2 minutes, add 150 ml water and ½ tsp salt, cover and simmer until vegetables are just tender, 15–20 minutes. Uncover and reduce the liquid to a thin glaze.
7. 7 Beetroot and potato: simmer 200 g cubed beetroot in water to cover until almost tender, 15 minutes. Add 200 g potato cubes (use remaining potato) and cook until both are tender, 10 more minutes. Drain and dress with a little oil, salt and lemon.
8. 8 Shiro: in a small pot sauté 1 chopped onion in 20 ml oil until soft, 5 minutes. Whisk 120 g shiro powder into 350 ml water until smooth, then pour into the pot. Stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens to a smooth, glossy purée, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt.
9. 9 Fresh tomato salad: combine 3 diced tomatoes, 1 thinly sliced small red onion, 15 ml lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Let stand 10 minutes.
10. 10 Assemble: lay one injera on a large round platter. Spoon each dish in a separate mound around the injera in distinct colours — mesir wat (red), kik alicha (yellow), gomen (dark green), atkilt wat (orange-green), beetroot (magenta), shiro (pale beige) and tomato salad. Do not stir them together. Serve additional injera stacked alongside.
11. 11 Eat with the hands: tear a strip of injera, pinch it between thumb and fingers, and use it to scoop from one mound at a time. Drink with Ethiopian coffee or tej-style honey wine if not fasting.