Misir wot: Ethiopian spiced red lentils with flatbreads

Velvety red lentils simmered with slow-cooked onions and warming berbere spice, as served all over Ethiopia. Tear off flatbread and scoop it up with your hands. There's a mild turmeric version for children.

Ingredients

• 45 ml Vegetable oil
• 2 Onions, very finely chopped
• 0.3 Garlic, 3 cloves, crushed
• 20 g Fresh ginger, grated
• 12 g Berbere spice, use less for a gentler heat
• 30 g Tomato purée
• 300 g Red lentils, rinsed
• 1 Vegetable stock cubes
• 4 g Salt
• 4 Flatbreads
• 2 Tomatoes, chopped
• 0.5 Red onions, finely chopped
• 0.5 Lemons, juiced

Method

1. Heat the oil in a heavy pan and cook the onions over a medium-low heat, stirring often, until very soft, sweet and jammy.
2. Stir in the garlic and ginger for a minute, then the berbere and tomato purée. Cook for 2 minutes, adding a splash of water if it starts to catch.
3. Add the lentils and 900ml boiling water with the stock cube crumbled in. Simmer, stirring often, until the lentils have broken down into a thick, soft stew. Add a splash more water if it gets too thick, and season with salt.
4. Toss the tomatoes and red onion with the lemon juice and a pinch of salt.
5. Warm the flatbreads in a dry pan or the oven. Serve the lentils with the flatbreads for scooping and the tomato salad on the side.