Zigni (Eritrean Spicy Stew)

Name: Zigni (Eritrean Spicy Stew)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 2 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h 40 min
Yield: 6 people
Ingredients: 4 black cardamoms; 2 teaspoons cumin seeds; 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds; 3 cloves; 10 black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon oregano; ½ teaspoon thyme; ½ teaspoon rosemary; 2 teaspoons red chilli powder; 1 tablespoon hot paprika powder; 2 teaspoons coriander powder; ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder; a pinch nutmeg; 1 kilos goat meat, lamb, stewing beef, chicken or capon; 450 grams Red Onions; 1½ tablespoons garlic; 1½ tablespoons ginger; 6 tablespoons niter kibbeh; 400 grams canned tomatoes; 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 hard boiled eggs

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5.0

51 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 40 mins
Servings
6 people
Calories
126 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
African, Ethiopian

Zigni (Eritrean Spicy Stew)

Justin Peters

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Zigni is a delicious spicy & aromatic stew made with berbere seasoning. This recipe shows how to prepare it using poultry, beef, lamb or goat meat.

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Ingredients

Servings

Berbere spice mix

4 black cardamoms medium
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
3 cloves
10 black peppercorns
1 tablespoon oregano
½ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
2 teaspoons red chilli powder
1 tablespoon hot paprika powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder
a pinch nutmeg powder

Zigni

1 kilos goat meat, lamb, stewing beef, chicken or capon 2 lbs off the bone red meat, cut into small cubes or 3 full birds skin removed and cut into 8 pieces.
450 grams Red Onions 3 cups, diced small
1½ tablespoons garlic chopped small
1½ tablespoons ginger peeled and chopped small
6 tablespoons niter kibbeh ⅓ cup (or T'esmi ) spiced clarified butter see notes below
400 grams canned tomatoes 14 oz, blended till smooth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
4 hard boiled eggs (optional), left whole or sliced

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Instructions

Berbere Spice mix

In a dry skillet on a low flame, lightly toast 4 black cardamoms, 2 teaspoons cumin seeds, 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds, 3 cloves and 10 black peppercorns for 1-2 minutes till aromatic then remove from the heat.
Grind the warmed spices together with 1 tablespoon oregano, ½ teaspoon thyme and ½ teaspoon rosemary.
Transfer to a small bowl and mix in the powdered spices: 2 teaspoons red chilli powder, 1 tablespoon hot paprika powder, 2 teaspoons coriander powder, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon powder and a pinch nutmeg, cover and set aside.

Zigni

In a large saucepan on medium-low heat, melt half the 6 tablespoons niter kibbeh (3 tablespoons, or the same amount of ghee), add 450 grams red onions and cover with a lid. Cook till caramelised for 1-2 hours, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking.
Stir in 1½ tablespoons garlic and 1½ tablespoons ginger and cook for 10 minutes.
Add remaining 3 tablespoons of niter kibbeh (or ghee) then stir in the berbere spices, 1 teaspoon salt and cook for another 10 minutes.
Pour in 400 grams canned tomatoes and 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar and cook for a further 10 minutes.
Add 1 kilos goat meat, lamb, stewing beef, chicken or capon and stir well, then cover and simmer on a low heat for 30 minutes (poultry), 60-75 (goat meat), 40 minutes (beef) or 60 minutes (lamb)* till tender.
Garnish with 4 hard boiled eggs in the last 5 minutes of cooking. Serve the zigni warm with injera bread.

Notes

Use niter kibbeh, spiced ghee (see below) or butter.
Onions - Either finely dice or blend the onions and cook on a very low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring and scraping the bottom to prevent burning. The closer to 2 hours, the more caramelised and jam-like the onions will be, giving a rich sweet flavour. If you don't have the time, cooking the onions for one hour will also give a very delicious sauce.
Niter kibbeh or T'esmi is available in speciality food stores or follow my easy recipe for making spiced clarified butter. It will keep in an airtight container in a cool and dry place for up to 6 months.
Spice mixture - Certain ingredients such as onion, ginger and garlic, have been omitted from this spice mixture as they are already present in our zigni base sauce. If you wish to use this spice mix to add extra flavour to other meat or vegetable dishes just add a little water, some freshly chopped garlic, ginger and red onion before using.
The spice mixture is cooked at length before adding the meat to fully release the flavours.
Zigni is a spicy stew but feel free to adjust the amount of chilli in the berbere spice mix to your taste.
The meat - *Goat meat takes longer to cook than beef or lamb, poultry will require less time to cook. Use a mixture of meat on the bone and boneless for best results.
Make ahead - Prepare a day in advance if possible as this zigni tastes even better the next day.
Storing - Store the zigni in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and warm through on a medium low heat before serving.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1serving Calories 126kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 17g (6%) Protein 7g (14%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 124mg (41%) Sodium 535mg (22%) Potassium 437mg (12%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 7g (14%) Vitamin A 549IU (11%) Vitamin C 13mg (14%) Calcium 98mg (10%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6people

Amount Per Serving

Calories 126 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1serving
Calories	126kcal	6%
Carbohydrates	17g	6%
Protein	7g	14%
Fat	4g	6%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Polyunsaturated Fat	1g	6%
Monounsaturated Fat	2g	10%
Cholesterol	124mg	41%
Sodium	535mg	22%
Potassium	437mg	9%
Fiber	4g	16%
Sugar	7g	14%
Vitamin A	549IU	11%
Vitamin C	13mg	14%
Calcium	98mg	10%
Iron	3mg	17%