Authentic Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter)

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:

• Doro Wat
• Sega Wat
• Misir Wat
• Gomen
• Injera