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: 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!
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 at least a couple of months, and several months 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!
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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 at least a couple of 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.
Joe Harris says
Hi. Another question please. It looks like, in the pictures, the besobela and kosseret were added after the butter has melted. Is that the case? And are they ground? I’m used to at least “grinding” herbs between my palms to release the flavors. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Joe, no, I simply forgot to add them before the butter melted in time for the photo ;) It makes no difference in flavor whether they’re ground or rubbed – either way their oils will be released.
Joe Harris says
Thanks again. Almost ready to go!
I wonder, do you have or can you recommend a recipe for Ye’abasha Gomen aka Gomen Wat or Ethiopian collard greens?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Awesome, Joe! I don’t have one off-hand but equipped with this amazing niter kibbeh you can’t go wrong! :)
Teri Watkins says
Hi Joe – Eating Well Jan/Feb 2018 has a great recipe. In the past week I’ve made it twice. I even substituted Swiss chard greens for the collards (had them left over from a Lebanese chard stalks recipe – also Eating Well). I think if you Google Ethiopian Collard Greens and look for a recipe from Eating Well you will find it. It’s also great using sumac. Ate it 4 out of 5 nights at work! Very versatile.
Joe Harris says
Thank you. I’m sure I’ll find one and be able to modify from there. Thanks.
Joe Harris says
Easily made and great results. I’m already starting to make some more. Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Fantastic, Joe, thanks so much for the feedback!
Joachim says
Hello, In order to be faithful to the original recipe, I buy “korarima”. Do I respect the same amount of black cardamom in the recipe? thanks
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Joachim, yes, korarima is the traditional “cardamom” used in Ethiopian cooking and is similar to Indian black cardamom. You can simply replace the black cardamom with the same quantity of korarima.
Chris says
Is there any way you can post a video of the “extremely low” boiling of the butter? I want to just try it but I fear I will burn the butter without some sort of visual.
Gadge says
What is the serving size?
There are calories (whatever a kcal is) but no size per calorie.
Alex O says
This as authentic as it gets! I had used a different recipe in the past, but this has the distinct flavor of Ethiopian clarified butter. I lived there for 4 wonderful years and have missed this! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m so happy to hear that, Alex, thank you!
Rick C says
In the past people making their own garlic olive oil ran the risk of food poisoning as the garlic turned rancid.
Will the garlic in the ghee turn the mixture rancid or is it ok to store for months like plain clarified butter.
Thanks for giving me a lot of ideas on spiced/flavored ghee!!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Rick, right, I definitely would never leave a clove of garlic sitting in a jar of olive oil. I think the difference here is that the garlic is not only cooked but it’s then strained out of the clarified butter so only the flavor remains.
JOSEPH C EDDY says
Would using green cardamom completely ruin this, or would it just taste different?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Joseph, it will just taste different but still absolutely delicious!
Kathy Amato says
I made this but was disappointed in the color. But the taste is fabulous.
Could the turmeric have turned it darker than the pictures here?
I sourced the besobela and kosseret and was surprised with the bright smell of the besobela.
I was concerned about “very low simmer” setting. My stove has a low burner mark, but I thought it was too high as I got bubbles all over the surface. Maybe I scorched it a bit? But it’s NOT bitter, it’s all warm flavor and it is great on toast. Even with peanut butter on top!!