Type | Entrée |
---|---|
Place of origin | Eritrea Ethiopia |
Region or state | East Africa |
Main ingredients | meat, tomatoes, red onions and Berbere spices |
Zigni ( Tigrinya: ዝግኒ), kaih tsebhi ( Tigrinya: ቀይሕ ጸብሒ) or kai wat ( Amharic: ቀይ ወጥ) [1] [2] is a popular Eritrean and Ethiopian stew ( tsebhi or wat) made from meat, tomatoes, red onions and Berbere spices. [1] The meat can be beef, lamb, goat, or chicken and usually placed on a plate of injera, a type of unleavened bread made from teff flour. [3] [4] [5] [6] It can be eaten for lunch or dinner. [1] The dish requires a relatively long amount of time but not a lot of active effort to make. [1] The traditional recipe can take as long as five to six hours to prepare. [6] As such, it is sometimes reserved for special occasions. [6] The Berbere spices can make the zigni spicy and give it a red color. [1] [5]
It is considered to be the national dish of Eritrea. [1] [2]
A traditional component of Eritrean cuisine is tsebhi, which are meat stews served with injera. [5] This is similar to Ethiopian cuisine, as the history is shared by both groups of people. [5] However, Ethiopians use Amharic names whereas Eritreans use Tigrinya names. [7] There are also similarities with Somali cuisine. [5] Eritreans also tend to use less seasoned butter than the Ethiopian counterparts, making the dishes a bit lighter. [7] The Italians colonized Eritrea which influenced the dish. [8] For example, the use of tomatoes demonstrates the Italian influence. [7] Cumin and curry powders reflects the Middle Eastern influence. [7]
The meat is first cooked and then tomatoes and red onions are added. [1] After being slow cooked for hours, the spices are added. [1] The dish also traditionally uses a clarified butter called t’esmi that resembles ghee but is seasoned with herbs and spices. [1]
In an airtight container, zigni can be stored for three days in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer. [6]