Niter Kibbeh - Ethiopian Clarified and Spiced Butter

Niter kibbeh - Ethiopian spiced clarified butter

Niter Kibbeh - Ethiopian Clarified and Spiced Butter

Rich, fragrant, and easy to use, niter kibbeh is a spiced clarified butter foundational to Ethiopian and Eritrean cooking.

This recipes uses a simplified method that can be completed easily in a day. It can be further simplified and completed in the space of an hour, or extended to a more traditional method including an aging/fermenting step. See the notes section for these modifications.

Course Preserves

Cuisine African, Ethiopian

Keyword clarified butter, Ethiopian butter

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Cooling time 4

Total Time 5 10

Servings servings (1 Tbsp each)

Calories 113kcal

Equipment

spice grinder or mortar and pestle

Ingredients

1 lb butter
3/4 cup onion diced (115 g, or 1 small onion)
4 cloves garlic minced
2 tbsp ginger minced
1 cup water
1 tbsp besobela (see note)
1 tsp korarima (see note)
1 tsp fenugreek
1 tsp nigella or cumin
2 tbsp koseret (see note)
1/2 tsp turmeric (optional - see note)
2 cloves

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Melt butter in large saucepan, then add garlic, onion, and ginger. Simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
Add water to the butter mixture and set aside to cool a little, then refrigerate for ~3-4 hours to set. The butter fat will rise to the surface and solidify, while the water and water soluble ingredients will settle at the bottom.
Combine the besobela, korarima, fenugreek, and nigella in a small dry frying pan over medium heat. Toast the spices for ~45 seconds. Set aside to cool.
Coarsely grind the pan-toasted spices with a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
Use a chopstick or similar kitchen utensil to poke some holes at the edge of the solid butter. Pour the water off and discard.
Melt the butter in a large saucepan once again. Once the butter has melted, add the the ground spices, kosseret, turmeric, and cloves. Simmer for 45-50 minutes, taking care not to boil the butter too vigorously.
Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare a jar (or similar container) along with a strainer lined with cheesecloth.
Pour the finished niter kibbeh through the strainer and into the container.
Cover the niter kibbeh and refrigerate until solid.
Niter kibbeh will keep in the fridge for about 6 months.

Notes

Note: Koseret, Besobela, and Korarima are all most easily found at Ethiopian/Eritrean grocery stores, or from online vendors. The latter option is usually more expensive.

Koseret - sometimes sold as butter clarifying herb, this member of the verbena family is camphorous and lemony. It's difficult to substitute for, but a combination of oregano, mint, and lemon verbena (approximately 1:2:3 ratio) makes a respectable alternative.

Besobela - a type of holy basil. Dried flowers and are used here, but not that seeds are sometimes sold (and used) separately. Thai holy basil makes a decent substitute. Note that Thai basil is not the same as Thai holy basil. Alternatively, try substituting 1 part dried mint, 2 parts dried sweet basil plus a pinch of allspice.

Korarima - also called Ethiopian cardamom. Green cardamom (NOT black) makes an excellent 1:1 substitute.

Turmeric - turmeric adds a pleasant earthy flavour, along with an electric yellow colour that stains pretty much everything it comes in contact with. Some people prefer niter kibbeh with a more 'natural' golden yellow buttery colour - you can include it or omit it as you see fit.

Fast (1 hour) Variation - Omit the added water in step 2, and do not cool the butter down. Toast and grind the spices as instructed, then simmer them and the other spices in the butter as instructed in step 6. Once the niter kibbeh is finished, use a ladle to scoop the melted butter from the top and pour it through the strainer, taking care not to disturb the watery layer at the bottom of the pot.

Fermented (multi-day) Variation - traditionally, niter kibbeh is often fermented for a few days to give it a tangy, cultured flavour. After extracting the water at the end of step 2 of the instructions, cover the butter with an air tight lid and leave it on the counter for 3-4 days. Then proceed with the remaining steps in the recipe. To speed things up, a little kefir or plain yogurt (~1 tsp) can be added to the soft butter.

Nutrition