Wat (food)

Wat or wet (Amharic: ወጥ, IPA: [wətʼ]) or tsebhi (Tigrinya: ጸብሒ, IPA: [sʼɐbħi]) is an Ethiopian and
Eritrean stew that may be prepared with chicken, beef, lamb, a variety of vegetables, spice
mixtures such as berbere (hot variety), and niter kibbeh, a seasoned clarified butter.

Overview
Several properties distinguish wats from stews of other cultures. Perhaps the most obvious is
an unusual cooking technique: the preparation of a wat begins with chopped onions slow
cooked, without any fat or oil, in a dry skillet or pot until much of their moisture has been driven
away. Fat (usually niter kibbeh) is then added, and the onions and other aromatics are sautéed
before the addition of other ingredients. This method causes the onions to break down and
thicken the stew.

Wat is traditionally eaten with injera, a spongy flat bread made from the millet-like grain known
as teff. There are many types of wats. The popular ones are doro wat and siga wat, (Amharic:
ሥጋ śigā) made with beef.
Doro wat (wett) Wat
Doro wat (Amharic: ዶሮ ወጥ dōrō we̠t’, Tigrinya:
ጸብሒ ደርሆ Tsebhi derhō ), is a spicy stew made
of chicken. The cooking often (but not always)
includes the addition of peeled but undivided
hard-boiled egg. It is the most popular
traditional food in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Considered the national dish, it is the food of
choice during formal and informal gatherings,
Alternative Tsebhi
eaten together as part of a group who share a names
communal bowl and basket of injera.[1]
Type Stew
Place of Ethiopia
Misir wat origin
and
Misir wat is a lentil stew; its key ingredients Eritrea
include split red lentils, garlic, onions, and
spices. It is a popular vegan dish, and in high
demand during fasting periods for Orthodox
Region East
Christians.[2][3] or state
Africa
Sanbat wat Main Meat
ingredients
A Jewish version of doro wat is eaten by the
Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jews) called "sanbat
(chicken
wat" (Sabbath wat). Sanbat wat is a traditional
Shabbat dish. In order to avoid mixing of meat
beef, or
and dairy, vegetable oil can be used as a
pareve substitute in lieu of ghee. Yeqimem
lamb),
zeyet, a form of niter kibbeh made from
vegetable oil, can also be used.[4] vegetab
niter
kibbeh,
spices

A formal serving of various pieces of Media: Wat

wat atop an injera (photo Brussels)

See also

Beyaynetu
Kai wat
List of African dishes
List of Ethiopian dishes and foods
List of stews
References

1. Levine, Donald N. Wax and Gold: Tradition

and Innovation in Ethiopian Culture
(Chicago: University Press, 1972), p. 132.
2. Albala, Ken (Aug 30, 2011). Food Cultures
of the World Encyclopedia (https://books.g
oogle.com/books?id=NTo6c_PJWRgC&q=a
mharic+cuisine&pg=PA62) . ABC-CLIO.
ISBN 9780313376269. Retrieved Aug 30,
2021 – via Google Books.
3. "An Ethiopian misir wot recipe with red
lentils and vibrant, spicy flavor" (https://ww
w.washingtonpost.com/food/2021/04/21/
misir-wot-recipe-ethiopian-lentils/) . The
 Washington Post. 2021-04-21. Retrieved
2021-08-30.
4. "Sanbat Wat (Ethiopian Shabbat Stew)" (htt
ps://reformjudaism.org/jewish-life/food-rec
ipes/sanbat-wat-ethiopian-shabbat-stew) .
ReformJudaism.org. Retrieved 2019-10-13.

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