Kitfo
Ethiopian steak tartare — raw or lightly warmed lean beef minced with spiced butter and mitmita chili.
Ingredients
- •Lean beef (preferably sirloin)
- •Niter kibbeh
- •Mitmita (Ethiopian cardamom-chili spice)
- •Korarima (Ethiopian cardamom)
- •Salt
Instructions
Choose and chill beef
Select very fresh lean beef. Chill until firm for easier mincing.
Hand-mince
Mince the beef by hand using two sharp knives until it has a uniform, fine texture — do not use a food processor.
Season
Mix in melted niter kibbeh, mitmita, and korarima. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Serve or warm slightly
Serve immediately as-is (leb leb = raw), or warm very briefly in a pan until just barely cooked (ye-besse = slightly cooked).
Kitfo is one of Ethiopia's most revered dishes — essentially an Ethiopian version of steak tartare or beef tartare, made from very fresh, finely hand-minced lean beef mixed with niter kibbeh and mitmita. It is the dish that Ethiopian food enthusiasts seek out and that best represents the sophisticated use of raw protein in East African cuisine.
Mitmita is a critical ingredient: a fiery, aromatic spice blend containing Ethiopian bird's eye chili, Ethiopian cardamom (korarima), cloves, and cinnamon. Its heat is immediate and intense, but the cardamom adds a floral complexity that makes it entirely different from simple chili heat. The niter kibbeh contributes a buttery richness and the aroma of its infused spices.
Kitfo is traditionally eaten raw (leb leb), but is available "ye-besse" (lightly heated through) or "fully cooked" for those less comfortable with raw meat. It is traditionally served with injera, ayib (Ethiopian fresh cheese), and gomen (cooked greens). Kitfo is particularly associated with the Gurage people of Ethiopia, who claim it as their specialty, and is commonly served at celebrations.