If you love Ethiopian food and just can’t quite figure out how to replicate that flavor at home, you may be missing the ultimate secret ingredient:Â Niter Kibbeh!
What is Niter Kibbeh?
Niter Kibbeh (Nit’ir Qibe) is an ingredient integral to Ethiopian cuisine and is made by clarifying butter that has been infused with herbs and spices. In the process of clarifying the spiced butter, the same process used to make ghee, the butterfat is separated from the milk solids and water and the result is a highly aromatic and flavorful cooking fat. This clarified butter has a higher smoke point and longer shelf life than regular butter.
How To Use Niter Kibbeh
While niter kibbeh is famously used in Ethiopia’s national dish, Doro Wat, it is highly versatile and used to bring life and flavor to a wide variety of dishes. Include a dollop in your favorite stews, your beans and lentils, sauces and gravies, add some to your vegetables and eggs, use it to brown your meat or chicken, spread some on your sandwich…and then sit back and savor your meal.
Authentic Ethiopian Spices
For a truly authentic niter kibbeh you would include two Ethiopian spices that are very difficult to find outside of Ethiopia: Besobela and Kosseret. Besobela is also known as Ethiopian sacred basil though it tastes nothing like basil. It’s also traditionally included in Berbere, the famous fiery hot Ethiopian spice blend. Kosseret is in the verbena family of plants and likewise has a very unique flavor. There are no adequate substitutes for either. If you can find them, use about a tablespoon of each. If you can’t, simply omit them. The resulting niter kibbeh will still be incredibly delicious without them.
Another central ingredient to niter kibbeh is cardamom. But it’s not the green cardamom that most of us are familiar with. Rather it’s a type of cardamom that’s much bigger in size and is brown in color, known as korarima, false cardamom and Ethiopian cardamom. And it’s tastes completely different than green cardamom.
The bad news is that it’s nearly impossible to find. The good news is that you can substitute Indian black cardamom (pictured below in comparison to the more commonly known green cardamom). It more closely resembles Ethiopian cardamom in flavor than does green cardamom and is an absolutely vital spice in Ethiopian cooking.
Niter kibbeh is a wonderful and uniquely delicious clarified butter that you will fall in love with. And absolutely nothing compares to homemade niter kibbeh. Once you’ve made it (it’s super easy) and tried it (it’s incredible) you’ll make it again and again!
Authentic Niter Kibbeh Recipe
Let’s get started!
Toast the whole spices over medium heat in a dry skillet for a few minutes until very fragrant. Be careful not to scorch the spices or they will become bitter.
Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring it to an extremely low simmer. Continue to simmer over low for at least one hour or up to 90 minutes. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN THE BUTTER. If it burns it will be bitter and there is no salvaging it.
Pour everything through a fine-mesh cheesecloth. (No need to skim off the foam, everything will be removed during straining.)
Pour the niter kibbeh into a jar, let it cool, cover so it is airtight.  It will keep at room temperature for a few weeks, in the fridge for a few months, and even longer in the freezer (it will be hard in the fridge and freezer, let it come to room temp for easy scooping). Makes about 2 cups.
Enjoy!
For more delicious and authentic Ethiopian recipes, be sure to try our:
Authentic Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter)
Ingredients
- 1 pound unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/4 cup chopped yellow onion
- 3 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
- 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 3 BLACK cardamom pods (not the green cardamom variety)
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 1 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 tablespoon besobela ,if you can find it, otherwise omit (see blog post)
- 1 tablespoon kosseret ,if you can find it, otherwise omit (see blog post)
Instructions
- Toast the whole spices over medium heat in a dry skillet for a few minutes until very fragrant. Be careful not to scorch the spices or they will become bitter. Set aside.
- Place all the ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring it to an extremely low simmer. Continue to simmer over low for at least one hour or up to 90 minutes. BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO BURN THE BUTTER. If it burns it will be bitter and there is no salvaging it.
- Pour everything through a fine-mesh cheesecloth.  (No need to skim off the foam, everything will be removed during straining.) Pour the niter kibbeh into a jar, let it cool, and cover so that it is airtight.  It will keep at room temperature for several weeks, in the fridge for a few months, and even longer in the freezer (it will be hard in the fridge and freezer, let it come to room temp for easy scooping). Makes about 2 cups.
ava says
What if can you use as substitutes for niter kibbeh
Elizabeth Sosa says
I’ve made this twice and it’s so good!’! The first time I made only half a batch, but it was gone in 24 hours. I used it all making two recipes (sega wat & gomen wat). Is there any other use for the seasonings after straining? To throw it all out seems wasteful. Thank you!
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thank you, Elizabeth, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! You could reuse the spices again by wrapping them in a little muslin cloth or tea bag and adding it to, for example, the sega wat or gomen while its cooking to release those added flavors into the stew/veggies.
Elizabeth Sosa says
Thank you for the suggestion, I’ll definitely do that next time because I LOVE the flavors from all the spices together. I went to a little Ethiopian store with a friend and was able to find besobela and kosseret. The addition of those two spices really enhanced flavor to the niter kibbeh (I didn’t have them the first time).
Sandy says
I just made this following your recipe. I was able to find all the ingredients in the DC metro area! It is amazing. What other cuisines/recipes can I use this in?
Kimberly Killebrew says
Fantastic, Sandy, thanks so much! Niter kibbeh is deliciously versatile – add a scoop or two to your favorite stews, beans, lentils, or sauces and gravies to give them a flavor boost. Melt it over your steamed or grilled veggies, your scrambled eggs, use it when you’re browning your meat or chicken, spread some on your ham and cheese sandwich, etc. I have yet to find a brick and mortar store that carries the Ethiopian herbs and so I always have to order them online. Which store in the DC metro carried them? I’m totally willing to make the trip there for a store that’s so well-equipped.
Cheryl Turtle says
The Nile Restaurant and Market, on the Silver Spring edge of DC, may carry those spices. I used to enjoy the lunch buffet when I lived in MD, but I’m not about to drive there from VA just to verify. The Nile isn’t the only Ethiopian market on Georgia Avenue NW.
Kimberly Killebrew says
Thanks, Cheryl!