Dish of Beef Firfir Stew
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Beef Firfir Stew


Africa: Eritrea   -   Firfir
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 3-1/2 #
***
2-1/4 hrs
Yes		 Combine a delicious stew with a delicious injira, and what have you? Deliciousness, of course, and an interesting texture. See also Serving.

10
1
1-1/4
8
2
1
2
-------
6
1
2
-------
2
8
1-1/3
-------
ar
-------
oz
#
#
oz
cl

in
---
in
T
t
---
T
oz
c
---

---
Beef (1)
Injera Bread
Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Chili Green (2)
Ginger
-- Seasoning
Rosemary sprig
Berbere Spice (3)  
Salt
-------------
Oil
Tomato Sauce (4)
Water
-- Garnish
Chili Slivers (2)
-- Serve with
See Serving
Do Ahead
  1. If not on hand, make the Berbere Spice Mix (15 min)
  2. If not on hand, make the Injera. For a quick version, see our recipe Injera - Fast. This recipe usually depends on leftover Injera. (1-1/2 hrs)
Prep   -   (50 min)
  1. Slice BEEF about 1/2 inch thick and into about 1/2 inch chunks.
  2. Tear INJERA into bite-size pieces.
  3. Scald TOMATOES one minute in boiling water. Quench in cold water and peel. Chop fine.
  4. Chop ONIONS fine. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Chop GREEN CHILI fine. Slice GINGER very thin, cut slices into threads, then chop fine. Mix all.
  5. Strip ROSEMARY NEEDLES from the stem, chop fine, and mix all Seasoning items.
  6. For Garnish: cap and split CHILI(S) lengthwise. Remove seeds and membranes, then slice into thin strips.
Run   -   (1-1/4 hr)
  1. In a coverable sauté pan or similar (3-1/2 qt min.), heat Oil and fry Beef, stirring until it has lost all raw color, any exuded liquid has evaporated, and brown spots start to appear.
  2. Add Onions mix to the pan and fry stirring until translucent. Take care not to burn the fond that adheres to the pan.
  3. Stir in Seasoning mix, Tomatoes and Tomato Sauce. Fry stirring until liquid is almost evaporated.
  4. Stir in Water. Bring to a boil and simmer covered until Beef is tender.
  5. Stir in Injera. Cook stirring gently until the bread has absorbed all the liquid. Adjust Salt if needed.
  6. Serve hot liberally garnished with Green Chili Strips, and accompanied by a vegetable dish (see Serving. It is best to reheat in the oven in a casserole.
NOTES:

  1. Beef:

      Weight is boneless with excess fat removed. This can be any cut suitable for stewing. Chuck is my preference as it cooks faster than Round. In Africa, this would most likely be made with Goat, as Beef is expensive there. Here in North America it is Goat and Lamb that are expensive, and doubly so since half the weight you pay for is bones and fat, so you need twice the weight given here, and more time to prepare it.

  2. Chili, Green

      What chili is used in Somalia, I don't know, but most writers of East African recipes in English call for Jalapños, so that's what we use. One, plus the Berbere Spice, will give this stew moderate heat. The Garnish Chilis will be mostly disarmed.

  3. Berbere Spice Mix:

      This is the most essential spice mix in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is easy to make by our recipe Berbere Spice Mix.

  4. Tomato Sauce:

      Rather than using 2 T tomato paste as called for in the pattern recipe, I prefer to add a convenient 8oz can of a very simple tomato sauce, which has fresher flavor and helps make up for deficient tomatoes. My favorite is Faraon Spanish Style, but other simple sauces will also work.

  5. Serving:

      Because this recipe contains its own carbohydrate, rice, pasta, or additional bread is not needed. Consequently, if a normal serving is 8 ounces, servings of this dish should be 10 to 12 ounces, so this recipe gives 4 to 5 servings. A simple vegetable side would be good, such as our recipe Sautéed Greens, or a salad.

  6. Comments:

      Rosemary is not a common East African herb, but here it is a relic of Italian occupation in the region, which still has a strong influence.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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