🇹 Ethiopian · Lentils, Beans & Vegetarian
🥦 Ethiopian Vegetable Stew with Berbere
አትክልት ወጥ ቤርቤሬ — Atkilit Wat be-Berbere
Ethiopian Spiced Mixed Vegetable Stew — a mix of seasonal vegetables (eggplant, potato, carrot, bell pepper, tomato) cooked in a berbere sauce. The spiced version of the mixed vegetable wat — for those who want all the heat of berbere in their vegetables.
Spiced mixed vegetable wat applies the full berbere tradition to whatever vegetables are seasonally available — eggplant absorbs the sauce beautifully, potatoes thicken it, and the carrots and peppers add colour and nutrition.
Ingredients
Equipment: Large pot
- 1 eggplant — cubed
- 2 potatoes — cubed
- 2 carrots — sliced
- 1 bell pepper — diced
- 2 tomatoes — diced
- 2 onions
- 2 tbsp berbere
- 3 tbsp oil
- ½ cup water
- 2 tsp salt
Method
- Salt eggplant 15 minutes. Rinse. Dry.
- Cook onions until golden. Add berbere. Fry 2 minutes.
- Add tomatoes and bell pepper. Cook 4 minutes.
- Add potatoes and carrots. Add water. Cover. Cook 12 minutes.
- Add eggplant. Cover. Cook 10 more minutes.
- Season.
Chef Tips
- Add eggplant last — it cooks faster than root vegetables.
- Salt eggplant to prevent it absorbing excessive oil.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding eggplant too early.
- Not salting eggplant.
The Science
See ETH125 for eggplant science. The combination of vegetables produces a self-thickening sauce — potato starch and dissolved eggplant flesh create a natural thickener without any added starch.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Multiple vitamins from diverse vegetables.
- Beta-carotene.
- Sulforaphane.
- Berbere antioxidants.
Cultural Note
The spiced mixed vegetable wat adapts Ethiopian berbere cooking to whatever is available — the principle that the berbere tradition can be applied to any vegetable is one of Ethiopian cuisine's great flexibilities.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 3 days.
Reheating: Gently.
Serve with: Injera (ETH001), On the fasting platter