Ethiopian Doro Wat

Doro Wat — Sanbat Wat for Shabbat

Doro wat is a festive stew of chicken and eggs in an onion and berbere sauce. In Beta Israel homes it is associated with Shabbat and is also called sanbat wat. The kosher version uses a pareve spiced oil instead of dairy niter kibbeh, so as not to mix meat and dairy.

Prep time: 35 minutes · Cooking time: 100 minutes · Yield: 6 servings · Difficulty: medium

The onion is the body of the sauce

A kilogram of onion sounds like a lot, but it breaks down and thickens the wat without flour. Steam it first with almost no oil, over medium-low heat, until the moisture evaporates and it is sweet; this step is not a shortcut to frying until brown.

Ingredients (for 6 servings)

• 1.5 kg bone-in chicken legs, 6–8 pieces
• Juice of one lemon and 1 teaspoon salt for cleaning and seasoning
• 1 kg red or white onion, finely chopped
• 100 ml olive or canola oil
• 6 garlic cloves and 40 grams ginger, chopped
• 2–3 tablespoons berbere, to taste
• 200 grams tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground fenugreek, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground korarima, or a pinch of black cardamom, cinnamon and allspice
• 750 ml hot water, salt
• 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and scored twice

Choosing ingredients and substitutes

Israeli berbere varies greatly in salt and heat; start with two tablespoons. You can remove the skin to reduce fat, but the meat will dry out faster. Don’t rinse raw chicken in the sink: the lemon juice is a soak for flavor, not disinfection, and it is the cooking that kills bacteria.

Method

1. Soak for flavor. Mix the chicken with the lemon and salt for 20 minutes in the fridge. Pat dry with paper; discard the liquid and wash your hands and the work surface.
2. Dry the onion. Put the onion in a heavy pot without oil and cook for 25–35 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring, until soft and almost dry.
3. Bloom the spices. Add the oil, garlic and ginger for 3 minutes. Add the berbere, tomato paste, fenugreek and turmeric and cook for 5 minutes, with a little water if it sticks.
4. Cook the chicken. Add the chicken and coat it in the sauce. Add the water, partially cover and cook at a gentle simmer for 45–60 minutes, until 74°C (165°F) in the thickest part.
5. Add the eggs. Add the scored eggs and korarima and cook for another 10 minutes. Adjust the salt. In the Beta Israel tradition it is made before Shabbat and served according to the family’s custom; don’t infer a uniform halakhic practice for all families in Israel from this.

Nutrition facts and calorie estimate

The calculation includes the edible part of skin-on chicken, one egg and all the oil. Removing the skin cuts about 80 calories per serving; a medium injera adds about 200.

Variations and tips

• For a smoother sauce, grind the onion before cooking, not the sauce with the chicken.
• If the berbere is too hot, add more cooked onion and water — not sugar.
• Keeps for up to 4 days in the fridge. Refrigerate within two hours and reheat until bubbling.

Summary

Doro wat relies on onion that broke down slowly, berbere and chicken that stays juicy. A serving with an egg is about 625 calories without injera. For the Shabbat bread of the same tradition, see dabo.