Recipe Atlas
Pantry to PlateSauces & SidesEventsBlog
Ethiopia›Niter Kibbeh
← Back to Ethiopia

Niter Kibbeh

Ethiopia

Niter kibbeh is the foundation of Ethiopian stews like doro wat. It gives dishes a rich, aromatic flavour that is impossible to replicate with plain butter.

Ethiopian spiced clarified butter simmered with garlic, ginger and aromatic spices. It is the fragrant base of many Ethiopian stews.

Authentic Ethiopia Niter Kibbeh recipe
Prep
10 mins
Cook
40 mins
Difficulty
Medium
Calories
120 kcal
Serves
16
Calories are an estimate based on ingredients used

Ingredients

500gunsalted butter
1small onion, roughly chopped
4garlic cloves, crushed
2 cmpiece of ginger, sliced
1 tspfenugreek seeds
1 tspcumin seeds
1 tspcoriander seeds
4cardamom pods
1cinnamon stick
1/2 tspground turmeric

Method

1

Melt the butter in a heavy pan over a low heat. Simmer gently without stirring until it foams and the milk solids settle, about 15 minutes.

2

Add the onion, garlic, ginger and spices.

3

Simmer on the lowest heat for 20-25 minutes until the butter is clear and fragrant and the solids at the bottom are golden.

4

Strain through a fine sieve or muslin into a clean jar. It keeps for several months in the fridge.

Chef's Tip

Keep the heat very low so that the spices infuse and nothing burns.

Couldn't load comments right now — please refresh.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Some recipe photos courtesy of Openverse and Wikimedia Commons contributors, used under Creative Commons licenses.
Recipe Atlas
© 2026 Recipe Atlas. All rights reserved.Celebrating food from every corner of the world.