Spiced Butter
Submitted by Cindy0561
Ethiopian-style spiced clarified butter (niter kibbeh) infused with ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, onion, and garlic. Keeps 3 months refrigerated and elevates everything it touches.
YIELD
3 cupsPREP
20 minCOOK
45 minREADY
70 minThis is niter kibbeh, the golden, aromatic clarified butter that forms the backbone of Ethiopian cooking.
Two pounds of butter get slowly melted and infused with a powerhouse lineup of fresh ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, nutmeg, onion, and garlic.
Cook it low and slow until the milk solids turn golden brown on the bottom and the butter goes completely clear.
Strain through cheesecloth and you’ve got about 3 cups of the most fragrant cooking fat you’ll ever own.
It keeps in the fridge for three months, ready to add deep, complex flavor to stews, lentils, sautéed greens, or scrambled eggs.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t stir after adding the spices. Let the milk solids settle and brown naturally on the bottom.
- Keep the heat low. Too high and the milk solids will burn, giving the butter a bitter taste.
- Strain through multiple layers of cheesecloth for the clearest result. Any solids left behind will shorten the shelf life.
- Use this anywhere you’d use regular butter or ghee for an instant flavor upgrade.
Ingredients
Directions
Measure out the spices on a plate.
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat.
Bring the butter up to a light boil.
When the surface is covered with a white foam, stir in all the remaining ingredients, including the onion and garlic.
Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for about 45 minutes.
Do not stir again.
Milk solids will form in the bottom of the pan and they should cook until they are golden brown.
The butter will be clear.
Strain the mixture through several layers of cheesecloth placed in a colander.
Avoid the milk solids and discard them.
Store the spiced butter in a quart jar, covered, in the fridge.
It will keep for 3 months under refrigeration.
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