I made that bowl just for this picture. Because that’s how much I love you.

Degredients:

• 1 cup red lentils, rinsed thoroughly. With water, you heathens.
• 2 tbsp niter kibbeh (or substitute with ghee or unsalted butter + 1 minced garlic clove + pinch of fenugreek & cardamom, which is what I do. I wouldn’t know a niter kibbeh if it bit me on the leg.)
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced, or, you know, whatever color onion you like. We’re not racist here.
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (I’ll be honest, I always use a whole button, but then we likes our garlics in this here house)
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced (Powdered if you ain’t got none, but the fresh really is better.)
• 1.5–2 tbsp berbere spice blend (adjust to taste, I like to go a little heavy on the spice)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 2.5–3 cups water or vegetable broth (I use chicken broth because I can’t do anything right.)
• Salt to taste
• Optional: chopped cilantro for garnish (Please)

Destructions:

1. Melt the niter kibbeh in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat, or a normal pan if you’re a heavy-bottomed cook. Once melted and fragrant, add the onion. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, for 10–15 minutes until caramelized and golden. (This is where I do all the chopping and measuring of the other degredients.
2. Add garlic and ginger, sauté for 1–2 minutes.
3. Stir in the berbere spice and toast for another minute to release its aroma. Add the tomato paste and stir well to combine.
4. Pour in the rinsed red lentils and 2.5 cups of water or broth. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low.
5. Cover and cook for about 25–30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender and the mixture has thickened. Add a bit more liquid if needed. (Don’t forget to stir. This likes to stick.)
6. Season with salt to taste. Adjust berbere if you’d like more heat or depth. (It’ll definitely need some salt.)
7. Serve warm, traditionally over injera, or with rice or flatbread as an alternative. Or just in a goddamn bowl all by itself. You don’t need any of that other crap. This shit is goood.