Ethiopian Doro Wat

In a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven, add the finely diced red onions with absolutely no fat. Cook over medium heat, stirring every few minutes, for 35–45 minutes. Yes, dry — no oil, no butter. The onions will first release their water, steam, shrink dramatically, then slowly begin to caramelize in their own sugars. This slow, dry process is the soul of doro wat — it builds a deep, sweet, savory base that no stock can replicate. The onions must go from raw purple to a dark, jammy, mahogany mass before any fat is added.

Add the niter kibbeh to the dark onion base and stir to incorporate. Add the minced garlic and grated ginger and stir for 1 minute. Add the berbere spice blend all at once and stir continuously for 2–3 minutes over medium heat — the spices must toast in the fat to bloom their fat-soluble compounds. The mass will look quite dry and very dark. This is correct. Add the water and stir to create a thick, ruddy sauce.

Add the chicken pieces to the berbere base and turn to coat thoroughly. Add any remaining water and the salt. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, turning the chicken every 15 minutes. After 45 minutes, score the hard-boiled eggs with a knife (4–6 shallow cuts through the white) and nestle them into the stew — the cuts allow the sauce to penetrate the eggs. Uncover and cook for a final 20 minutes to reduce the sauce. Add the lemon juice in the last 5 minutes. The finished doro wat should be dark, deeply flavored, and thick enough to hold its shape on injera.