Zigni

Zigni (Eritrean Spiced Beef Stew)

A fiery Eritrean beef stew slow-simmered with onion, tomato and a generous measure of berbere spice blend, served communally over injera flatbread.

Prep

15 min

Cook

105 min

Total

120 min

Serves

4 to 6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •900 g (2 lb) beef chuck or round, cut into 2 cm cubes, trimmed of excess fat
• •30 ml (2 Tbsp) niter kibbeh (clarified spiced butter), or unsalted butter if unavailable; vegetable oil is a weaker substitute
• •2 whole (2 medium) yellow onions, finely chopped
• •4 g (2 cloves) garlic, minced
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) fresh ginger, grated
• •30 g (¼ cup) berbere spice blend, use a fresh, fragrant blend; this is the dominant flavour, do not substitute with generic chilli powder
• •5 g (1 tsp) ground coriander
• •3 g (1 tsp) ground cumin
• •2 g (1 tsp) ground cardamom
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground cinnamon
• •1 g (½ tsp) ground cloves
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt, plus more to taste
• •250 g (1 cup) tomato puree (passata) or finely crushed ripe tomatoes
• •60 ml (¼ cup) water or beef stock, add more as needed
• •5 ml (1 tsp) lemon juice or red wine vinegar, optional, brightens the stew
• •4 whole (4 rounds) injera flatbread, store-bought is acceptable; serve one round per person plus extra for tearing
• •10 g (2 Tbsp) fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped, optional garnish

Steps

1. 1 Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels. In a heavy pot or Dutch oven, melt the niter kibbeh over medium-high heat. Working in batches so the pan is not crowded, brown the beef on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes total. Transfer browned beef to a plate.
2. 2 Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped onions to the same pot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and lightly golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
3. 3 Stir in the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. 4 Add the berbere, coriander, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to toast the spices in the fat and bloom their flavour; do not let them burn.
5. 5 Stir in the tomato puree and 60 ml (¼ cup) water or stock. Bring to a simmer and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the mixture darkens slightly and thickens.
6. 6 Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add the salt. Stir to coat the meat in the spice base, then add just enough additional water or stock to come about two-thirds of the way up the beef, roughly 180 to 250 ml (¾ to 1 cup).
7. 7 Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer gently for 75 to 90 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if the sauce reduces too quickly. The stew is done when the beef is fork-tender and the sauce is thick, glossy and a deep brick-red.
8. 8 Safety: ensure the stew holds a simmer throughout cooking and the beef reaches an internal temperature of at least 80 °C (175 °F). The meat should pull apart easily with no pink in the centre.
9. 9 Stir in the lemon juice or vinegar if using, taste and adjust salt. Rest off the heat for 5 minutes.
10. 10 To serve, lay one round of injera on a large platter or individual plates, tearing a second round into pieces alongside. Spoon the zigni generously over the injera, spooning some sauce onto the torn pieces. Garnish with cilantro or parsley if desired. Eat communally by tearing injera with the right hand and pinching up the stew.