Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter)
Local name: ንጥር ቅቤ
In short: Butter simmered with garlic, ginger, turmeric and warm spices, then strained into clear golden fat that flavors Ethiopian stews and meat dishes. It takes about 1 h 10 min in total and makes 24 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 10 min
- Servings
- 24
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 145 kcal
Niter kibbeh is Ethiopia's spiced clarified butter, simmered slowly with garlic, ginger, turmeric and warm spices until the butterfat turns clear and golden. It is the fat behind doro wat, kitfo, tibs and countless other dishes, and a spoonful adds a nutty, aromatic depth that plain butter cannot. Making it takes about an hour, mostly unattended, and a jar keeps for months in the fridge.
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring it to a gentle simmer and skim off the white foam that rises.
- Add the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, fenugreek, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns and nutmeg.
- Simmer very gently for 45 to 60 minutes, without stirring much, until the milk solids have settled and browned lightly at the bottom, the butterfat is clear and golden and the pan has stopped sputtering.
- Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth into a clean, dry jar.
- Cool completely, then cover and refrigerate. Use a clean, dry spoon each time.
Tips
- Keep the heat low so the milk solids toast gently instead of burning, which turns the butter bitter. Strain thoroughly so no bits of onion or garlic remain.
- No time? Warm ghee with a pinch each of ground cardamom, fenugreek and turmeric for a quick stand-in. For a vegan version, infuse the same spices in refined coconut oil.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between niter kibbeh and ghee?
Ghee is plain clarified butter. Niter kibbeh is infused with garlic, ginger and warm spices, which gives it a nutty, aromatic flavor.
How long does niter kibbeh keep?
Refrigerated in a clean, dry jar it keeps for up to 3 months. Because it is infused with fresh aromatics, do not leave it at warm room temperature for long. It also freezes for 6 months.
What is niter kibbeh used for?
It flavors doro wat, kitfo, tibs, lentils and many other dishes, and is sometimes drizzled over injera or cooked vegetables.
How long does it take to make Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter)?
About 1 h 10 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter)?
About 145 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 0 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 145 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 0 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Sodium | 2 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
