Yebeg Wat (Spicy Lamb Stew)

Yebeg wat swaps doro wat’s chicken for lamb and delivers the same deep-red, slow-simmered magic. Lamb shoulder, rich with fat and flavor, melts into a dark berbere sauce that cooks down to a glossy, almost jammy finish. It is a holiday dish in Ethiopia, made for big gatherings, long afternoons, and the kind of meal that starts early in the morning and fills the whole house with spice.

Dark, glossy, and worth every slow hour

Like all great wats, it begins with onions cooked long and slow until they nearly disappear into the butter, laying down a sweet foundation for the berbere to build on. The lamb turns spoon-tender and absorbs the sauce’s warmth, while cardamom and niter kibbeh add depth behind the heat. Serve it over injera with a cooling side like kik alicha or a simple salad — the contrast of fiery and mild is what Ethiopian meals are all about, and this stew is the fire.

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