Quanta Firfir

Quanta Firfir (Ethiopian Dried Beef and Injera Toss)

A hearty Ethiopian breakfast and everyday dish of shredded injera tossed in a fiery berbere sauce with strips of dried, spiced beef (quanta) and spiced clarified butter. The injera soaks up the sauce until soft and chewy.

Prep

30 min

Cook

45 min

Total

75 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •250 g (9 oz) quanta (Ethiopian dried spiced beef), See ingredient note for substitute
• •4 pieces injera, about 30 cm / 12 in rounds, slightly stale is best
• •70 g (2½ oz) niter kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter), or regular clarified butter in a pinch
• •1 large onion, finely chopped, about 250 g / 9 oz
• •3 cloves garlic, minced
• •1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
• •2 tbsp berbere spice blend, adjust to taste
• •1 tsp ground fenugreek, optional, part of some family recipes
• •1 tsp ground cardamom, optional
• •300 ml (10 fl oz) water or beef stock, warm
• •1 tsp salt, to taste, depends on saltiness of quanta
• •1 tbsp lemon juice, optional, for brightness

Steps

1. 1 Prepare the quanta: if using traditional sun-dried quanta, rinse briefly under cold water to remove surface dust, then soak in warm water for 20 minutes to soften slightly. Drain, pat dry, and cut or tear into bite-sized strips about 3–4 cm / 1–1½ in long. If the pieces are very salty, taste one after soaking and rinse again if needed.
2. 2 Tear the injera into rough, bite-sized pieces (about 3 cm / 1 in) and set aside on a plate, separated so they don't clump.
3. 3 Heat the niter kibbeh in a large skillet or wide pot over medium heat until melted and fragrant. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8–10 minutes until softened and translucent, not browned.
4. 4 Add the garlic and ginger; stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. 5 Add the berbere (and fenugreek/cardamom if using). Stir constantly for 30–60 seconds to toast the spices in the fat - do not let them scorch or they will turn bitter.
6. 6 Add the quanta strips and toss to coat in the spice paste. Cook for 2 minutes.
7. 7 Pour in the warm water or beef stock. Stir, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the quanta is tender and the sauce has thickened slightly. Add a splash more water if it dries out too early. The beef should be fully tender when pierced with a knife - internal temperature of at least 75°C / 165°F throughout.
8. 8 Taste the sauce and adjust salt (the quanta may already be salty) and berbere heat. Stir in lemon juice if using.
9. 9 Add the torn injera to the pot. Toss gently but thoroughly with a spoon or your hands so every piece is coated in sauce. Cover and let stand off the heat for 3–5 minutes so the injera absorbs the sauce and turns soft and chewy.
10. 10 Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm, directly from the pot or transferred to a shared platter, with extra niter kibbeh drizzled on top if desired. Traditionally eaten by hand, using pieces of extra injera to scoop.
11. 11 Ingredient note: authentic quanta is beef that has been seasoned with spices and sun-dried until hard and shelf-stable, then rehydrated for cooking. If you cannot find it at an Ethiopian or East African grocer, substitute 200 g / 7 oz dried beef jerky (plain or lightly seasoned) - soak it 30 minutes in warm water with ½ tsp berbere, then proceed as directed. Do not use raw beef in place of quanta, as the dish's texture and flavor depend on the dried meat.