Zigni Food

ZIGNI

Steps:

• Heat oil over medium-high heat.
• When the oil is hot, sear the beef cubes until browned.
• Add the onions and garlic. Cook 2 minutes.
• Add the berbere. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.
• Finish by adding the tomatoes and their juice.
• Season lightly, reduce heat and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours and 30 minutes.
• Thirty minutes before the end of cooking, add the cilantro.
• The meat should fall apart easily and the sauce should be smooth.
• In a pan, roast on low heat for 2 minutes the cardamom, coriander, ginger, fenugreek, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and spices 4.
• Allow to cool, stirring the mixture occasionally.
• Add garlic, onion, half the salt and 2 tablespoons of water. Mix everything. Set aside.
• In the pan, put chili pepper, white pepper, paprika, allspice and remaining salt.
• Toast on low heat for 1 minute. Pour the remaining water gradually, stirring constantly.
• Add the spice mixture, stir thoroughly and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.
• Put this mixture in a jar.
• Cool and cover the top with a layer of oil.
• Keep 10 days in the refrigerator.

ZIGNI

Steps:

• Sear meat in the oil, on high heat, until browned. You may like yours with more or less meat - your choice. And I have made this with ground meat (lamb).
• Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionaly and being careful not to burn the garlic.
• Add the large can of diced tomatoes, a couple of cups of water and the tomato paste. When the paste heats through it will stir in easily.
• Start with 2 Tb of the berbere and see how spicy and flavorful you want it. I use gobs, I love it.
• Simmer the zigni on medium - low for about an hour uncovered, or until it reached a consistency that you like.
• Serve with a generous scattering of chopped coriander (cilantro) on a bed of rice or with plenty of injira bread for scooping. The Ethiopian woman who taught my dad to make this also would serve this with halved boiled eggs laid on the zigni around the parameter of the serving dish. Very pretty.
• To make berberé spice mix:.
• Stir the spices (listed as ingredients, above) together and roast them in a dry skillet for about 7 minutes over med. low heat.
• Be careful to keep stirring (and not to let the spices burn) 'til roasted. You will cough while roasting the bebere!
• I keep mine in a mason jar in the freezer. It will keep well for a very long time in there.
• I didn't include the time to make the spice mix w/ this recipe as you may prefer to purchase it.

ZIGNI

Steps:

• For the berbere, grind spices if necessary. Combine the spices and roast in a dry skillet on low heat, stirring constantly, for about 5-10 minutes, or until warm and just slightly roasted and fragrant - not browned. The proportions between hot and mild paprika powder should be adjusted to taste. I prefer 50/50, which gives a fairly hot result. The paprika powder should be of highest quality.
• While still hot, pour the berbere pepper into a jar and seal. Will keep for months in a cool and dark place.
• For the stew, brown the meat on high heat until brown, then add the onion, and eventually the garlic and 3 tbsp Berbere, which are NOT to become burnt.
• Deglaze with the wine (if using). Add the canned tomatoes with their liquid, the stock cubes and the tomato paste and let simmer very slowly until the meat is tender and the stew has thickened (½ hour to 2 hours or more, depending on the meat).
• Add salt, pepper and lemon to taste. Garnish with coriander and serve hot on Injera (Ethiopian flat bread). Also good with rice or potatotoes.

ZIGNI (BEEF STEW FROM ERITREA)

Steps:

• Add vegetable oil to a pot and allow it to heat. Then, add the stew beef, cumin, turmeric, and ¼ cup tomato paste.
• Add the finely diced onions and the 14 oz can of tomatoes. Stir. Cover and cook on medium heat for 2 hours.
• After 2 hours add berbere spice, garlic, and butter. Cover and cook for another 5 minutes.