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Siga Wot (Ethiopian Spicy Beef Stew)

November 25, 2019 by Lizet 16 Comments

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Siga wot, an Ethiopian beef stew simmered in a rich sauce, spiced with an Ethiopian blend called berbere.

Siga or sega wot is another traditional dish from Ethiopia. The ingredients and the cooking method is very similar to that of doro wot (spicy chicken stew).

This is the third stew-like Ethiopian recipe I'm sharing with you. Trying to show you, that you can make Ethiopian food at home.

How to Make Wot

Wat or wot is a stew or curry made by cooking down chopped onions slowly, without any fat or oil, until much of their moisture has been evaporated.

Fat (usually niter kibbeh) is then added, the onions and other aromatics are sautéed before the addition of other ingredients. This method makes the onions break down and thicken the stew. 

I used this basic wot to make this siga wot, misir wot (lentil stew) and doro wot (chicken stew).

I like to make a big batch and then divide it and use it to make those three dishes. Or divide it into portions and freeze it.

Berbere for Ethiopian Food

You’ll need a special spice called berbere.

Berbere is a spice blend used to season many Ethiopian dishes.

I used Asli Berbere to make this spicy beef stew.

If you live in a big city with a few Ethiopian restaurants, you might be able to find a store that sells berbere. Get it there! and if you are lucky, the restaurant might be willing to sell you some.

We’ve had people bring us berbere from Ethiopia, and every bag had a slightly different flavor.

If you are feeling courageous and want to make it at home, follow this video from Ethcooks. Although the whole video is not in English, the list of ingredients is.

spicy beef stew cooking

Although siga wot traditionally is served with injera (sourdough pancake-like bread), it goes great with white rice.

Recipes you might like:

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If you liked the recipe above, please consider rating the recipe and leaving a comment below! and share your picture on Instagram with the hashtag #chipabythedozen

Siga Wot (Ethiopian Spicy Beef Stew)
Print Recipe
5 from 8 votes

Siga Wot (Ethiopian Spicy Beef Stew)

Siga wot, an Ethiopian beef stew simmered in a rich sauce, spiced with an Ethiopian blend called berbere.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Ethiopian
Servings: 6
Calories: 314kcal
Author: Lizet Bowen

Ingredients

  • 2 red onions finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
  • 4 tablespoons spiced butter (niter kibbeh)
  • 3 tablespoons berbere
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 2 pounds chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

Instructions

  • Put the onions in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until water evaporates, about 10 minutes, taking care not to burn them. You may need to reduce the heat as the onions dry out. Add spiced butter and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, cardamom, and berbere. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, adding enough broth to make a thick sauce.
  • In a medium skillet brown beef with 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Add beef to the sauce and simmer over very low heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is reduced and the sauce is very thick. Add salt to taste.
  • Serve hot with rice or injera.

Notes

If you want to serve siga wot with rice, you might want a runnier sauce, add more broth if desired.
3 tablespoons of berbere, makes this stew mild.

Nutrition

Calories: 314kcal

Siga Wot (Ethiopian Spicy Beef Stew)

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness

    February 22, 2020 at 8:51 pm

    Anything spicy and I am in!! This looks right up my alley. I can't wait to give it a go 🙂

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 22, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      I'm sure you'll love it!

      Reply
  2. Jayne

    February 22, 2020 at 8:44 pm

    I love all the flavors this recipe provides. It's a great winter favorite of ours.

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 22, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      I'm glad you guys like it 🙂

      Reply
  3. Mahy

    February 22, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    Ah, this beef stew is absolutely amazing - it is perfect for this time of the year!

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 22, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      Stews and winter just go together so well, right?

      Reply
  4. Beth

    February 22, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    Oh wow - this looks fabulous! You did a great job describing the unique foods, that I think I could make this, even though I've never made Ethiopian food!

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 22, 2020 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks for the kind words, Beth! I hope more people would try Ethiopian food at home.

      Reply
  5. Alina | Cooking Journey Blog

    February 22, 2020 at 6:19 pm

    I've never tried berbere! I think I'd love the spicy stew, perfect for this cold and windy time of the year.

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 22, 2020 at 8:58 pm

      I hope you give it a try! spicy food is great for winter 🙂

      Reply
  6. Ramona

    January 25, 2020 at 9:46 pm

    This beef dish looks incredible. I have never tried Ethiopian food before but seeing this I would absolutely love to. I need to check on a couple of ingredients as I have not heard of them before but will check and see where I can buy them. I will be trying it as soon as I find the berbere spice and the spiced butter. Mouthwatering!

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 12, 2020 at 12:35 am

      I hope you can find the special ingredients. You are going to love all those flavors 🙂

      Reply
  7. Sandhya Ramakrishnan

    January 25, 2020 at 12:39 am

    We love Ethipian food and frequently eat out at a local Ethiopian restaurant near my house. This Beef stew is a popular recipe and I love the spices that goes into the stew. Injera with this Stew is a great combination!

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 12, 2020 at 12:36 am

      Such a treat to live near an Ethiopian restaurant! yes, the stew with the injera is amazing.

      Reply
  8. Pavani

    January 24, 2020 at 7:08 pm

    I LOVE Ethiopian dishes. They are packed with so much flavor from the flavored butter and berbere spices. That beef stew looks amazing.

    Reply
    • Lizet

      February 12, 2020 at 12:36 am

      I hope you give it a try!

      Reply

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Hello! I am Lizet. Welcome to my blog. This is a collection of the most beloved recipes between my family and friends. Some are my own creations and some are copycat from the many found on the internet, but with a twist using ingredients I can find in Paraguay. I hope you enjoy them! More..

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