flipFasting Beyaynetu — Misir Wat (Red Lentils with Berbere) on Injera
Fasting Beyaynetu — Misir Wat (Red Lentils with Berbere) on Injera
Why this dish? Haile Selassie I was known for his sobriety and Orthodox piety. During the long fasting periods imposed by the Tewahedo Church — when meat, eggs, and dairy are avoided — the imperial table, like that of the people, was covered with legume purees. Misir wat of red lentils is the staple: modest, nourishing, deeply Ethiopian.
Red lentils melted into a berbere wat, spooned onto spongy, tangy injera, surrounded by other small vegetable portions. Spicy, comforting, lifted by the fermented sourness of the flatbread.
On fasting days, and they are many in the Christian year, Our table renounces flesh and is content with the gifts of the earth. Let no one think these dishes poor: these red lentils, cooked with berbere and onion, satisfy the body and soothe the soul as much as any feast. They are placed on the injera, whose slight sourness comes from several days of patience — for the teff dough must ferment, as all good things must ripen in their time. Eat with the right hand, use the flatbread as a spoon, and give thanks.
- •Red lentils (misir) — a large bowlful (protein base for fasting)
- •Red onions — abundant (melting base)
- •Berbere — generously (signature spice)
- •Vegetable oil (fasting: no butter) — as desired (allowed fat)
- •Garlic and ginger — pounded (aromatics)
- •Fermented teff batter — prepared in advance (injera base)
Fasting Beyaynetu — Misir Wat (Red Lentils with Berbere) on Injera
Red lentils melted into a berbere wat, spooned onto spongy, tangy injera, surrounded by other small vegetable portions. Spicy, comforting, lifted by the fermented sourness of the flatbread.
Why this dish? Haile Selassie I was known for his sobriety and Orthodox piety. During the long fasting periods imposed by the Tewahedo Church — when meat, eggs, and dairy are avoided — the imperial table, like that of the people, was covered with legume purees. Misir wat of red lentils is the staple: modest, nourishing, deeply Ethiopian.
On fasting days, and they are many in the Christian year, Our table renounces flesh and is content with the gifts of the earth. Let no one think these dishes poor: these red lentils, cooked with berbere and onion, satisfy the body and soothe the soul as much as any feast. They are placed on the injera, whose slight sourness comes from several days of patience — for the teff dough must ferment, as all good things must ripen in their time. Eat with the right hand, use the flatbread as a spoon, and give thanks.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red lentils (misir) — a large bowlful (protein base for fasting)
- Red onions — abundant (melting base)
- Berbere — generously (signature spice)
- Vegetable oil (fasting: no butter) — as desired (allowed fat)
- Garlic and ginger — pounded (aromatics)
- Fermented teff batter — prepared in advance (injera base)
Ingredients
- Red lentils — 250 g (base)
- Onion — 2 large, sliced (sauce base)
- Berbere — 2 tbsp (spice)
- Neutral oil — 3 tbsp (fat (fasting))
- Garlic — 3 cloves (aromatic)
- Ginger — 2 cm, grated (aromatic)
- Tomato paste — 1 tbsp (optional, modern use) (roundness and color)
- Store-bought injera or teff crepes — as needed (base)
Method
- Rinse red lentils in plenty of water until it runs clear.
- Sweat onion dry, then in oil until lightly colored; add garlic and ginger.
- Stir in berbere (and tomato paste if using), toast for 2 minutes.
- Add lentils and water to cover; simmer 20 to 25 minutes until creamy; season with salt.
- Serve on injera, accompanied by other small portions (cabbage-carrots, beets, split pea puree) to compose a beyaynetu.
- If injera is unavailable, serve on teff crepes or flatbread.
How it was made : Authentic injera is made solely from teff flour, a tiny cereal endemic to the Ethiopian highlands, and a natural starter (ersho) saved from batch to batch. The batter ferments two to three days before being poured in a spiral onto a large clay griddle, the mitad. On fasting days, butter was scrupulously replaced with oil.
The contemporary twist : Compose a mini 'painter's palette' plate with five brightly colored purees arranged in an arc on the injera: a beyaynetu fit for display that delights children.
Haile Selassie · Charactorium
