Niter Kibbeh
ንጥር ቅቤAlso known as Tesmi (Eritrean), Ethiopian spiced clarified butter · Both
Niter kibbeh is clarified butter infused with garlic, ginger, and warm spices. It has a higher smoke point and a longer shelf life than plain butter, and it carries a flavor that plain butter or oil simply cannot. It is the quiet backbone of doro wat, tibs, kitfo, and shiro, so it is worth keeping a jar in the fridge at all times.
Method
- 1
Melt the butter with all the aromatics and spices in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, swirling now and then, about 5 minutes.
- 2
Once it is melted, bring it to the barest simmer, the lowest your burner will hold. Almost immediately a white foam of milk solids rises to the top, which is normal.
- 3
Let it simmer very gently, without stirring. Over the next 15 to 20 minutes the foam breaks apart and dissipates as the water cooks out, the bubbling quiets down, and the butter turns clear and light golden.
- 4
Watch and smell it. The milk solids will settle and turn golden-brown at the bottom of the pot, and the kitchen will smell nutty and fragrant. Stop here, around 20 minutes, for a light golden niter kibbeh, or let it go a little longer for a darker, nuttier one. Pull it before the solids at the bottom start to blacken, roughly the 45-minute mark, or it will taste burnt and bitter.
- 5
Turn off the heat and let it settle for a few minutes.
- 6
Strain it through a fine sieve lined with a triple layer of cheesecloth or muslin into a clean jar, leaving the browned solids and aromatics behind. Strain a second time if you want it crystal clear.
- 7
Cool, seal, and store. It keeps a few weeks in a cool cupboard and 3 to 6 months in the fridge, where it firms up; just warm it to scoop.
Cook's notes
- Use unsalted butter. Salted butter foams much more and makes it harder to see what is happening in the pot.
- Low and slow is everything. A heavy-bottomed pot and the lowest simmer keep the milk solids from burning, which is the one thing that ruins a batch.
Common questions
What is the difference between niter kibbeh and ghee?+
Both are clarified butter, but niter kibbeh is simmered with Ethiopian aromatics and spices like fenugreek, korarima, garlic, and ginger, which is where its flavor comes from.
What can I use instead of koseret or besobela?+
They are optional. For koseret, a mix of oregano with a little mint works; for besobela, Thai holy basil. Or simply leave them out, since the onion, garlic, ginger, and fenugreek carry it.
Why did mine turn out bitter?+
The milk solids at the bottom scorched. Keep the heat at the lowest simmer, use a heavy pot, and strain it off before the solids go past golden-brown.
More spices & basics
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