Ethiopian Kitfo Tartare with Ayibe and Injera

Name: Ethiopian Kitfo Tartare with Ayibe and Injera
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Main Course
Ingredients: 500g beef tenderloin; 100g unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons mitmita; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 liter whole milk; 2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar; Pinch of salt; 100g unsalted butter; 1 teaspoon cardamom pods; 2 cloves garlic; 1 small onion; 1 teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds; 2 cups teff flour; 2 ½ cups water; Pinch of salt

A traditional Ethiopian delicacy spiced to perfection

Kitfo is a popular Ethiopian dish consisting of finely minced raw beef seasoned with a blend of spices and served with ayibe, a type of homemade ricotta, and injera, the iconic Ethiopian flatbread.

1 h 30 min
4
Intermediate

Ingredients

Kitfo

500g beef tenderloin

finely minced

100g unsalted butter

clarified

2 tablespoons mitmita

Ethiopian spice blend

1 teaspoon salt

to taste

Ayibe

1 liter whole milk

2 tablespoons lemon juice or white vinegar

Pinch of salt

Spiced Butter (Niter Kibbeh)

100g unsalted butter

1 teaspoon cardamom pods

2 cloves garlic

crushed

1 small onion

finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds

Injera

2 cups teff flour

2 ½ cups water

Pinch of salt

Preparation

Marinating the Kitfo

Season the beef

Mix the minced beef with salt and 1 tablespoon mitmita.

Rest the beef

Let it rest in the fridge for 30 minutes to absorb the flavors.

Add spiced butter

Melt the clarified butter and mix in remaining mitmita, pour over marinated beef.

Ensure the butter is fully clarified to avoid burning during heating.

Preparing the Ayibe

Heat the milk

Bring milk to a gentle boil in a large pot.

Curdle the milk

Stir in lemon juice and remove from heat. Allow to curdle.

Strain the curds

Strain through a muslin cloth to separate curds from whey, sprinkle salt to taste.

Let the ayibe rest at room temperature for a creamier texture.

Cooking Process

Prepare Niter Kibbeh

Melt butter with spices, onion, and garlic on medium heat until golden and aromatic.

Ferment the Injera Batter

Mix teff flour, water, and salt; let rest overnight to ferment.

Cook the Injera

Heat a non-stick pan and cook thin batter to create soft, bubbly flatbread.

Plating & Serving