🇹 Ethiopian · Traditional Side Dishes & Condiments
🌶️ Ethiopian Awaze — Tej Version
ጠጅ አዋዜ — Tej Awaze
Ethiopian Tej Awaze — the traditional version of awaze made with authentic tej (honey wine), producing a more complex, slightly sweet-bitter hot paste than the standard awaze (ETH094). The condiment used at tej houses alongside grilled meats.
Tej Awaze is the authentic version — where ETH094 can use wine or water as the liquid, tej awaze uses genuine Ethiopian honey wine (tej). The tej's honey sweetness, gesho bitterness, and wine complexity make a dramatically more nuanced awaze.
Ingredients
Equipment: Small bowl
- 5 tbsp berbere
- 3 tbsp tej — or honey wine
- 1 tbsp kibbeh — melted
- 1 tsp awaze (previous batch) — starter (optional)
- ½ tsp salt
Alternative: replace tej with 2 tbsp red wine + 1 tsp honey
Method
- Combine berbere, tej, and kibbeh.
- Mix thoroughly to a smooth paste.
- Add awaze starter if available.
- Add salt.
- Rest 30 minutes minimum — 1 day is better.
- Consistency should be spreadable but not pourable.
- Adjust with more tej for thinner; more berbere for thicker.
Chef Tips
- Authentic tej transforms awaze — the honey-wine complexity is irreplaceable.
- Make the day before — the flavour mellows and integrates beautifully overnight.
- Awaze should be tasted and adjusted every batch — berbere varies in heat and salt.
- A dab alongside kitfo changes the entire eating experience.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using hot water instead of tej — flat, lacking complexity.
- Not resting — fresh awaze is harsh; rested awaze is complex.
The Science
Tej provides three elements missing from water or plain wine: (1) Honey sugars that caramelise on the palate, creating sweetness that balances the chilli heat. (2) Gesho compounds (similar to hops) that add bitterness and preservative effect. (3) Fermentation esters that add aromatic complexity.
Nutrition (per serving)
Health Benefits
- Concentrated berbere antioxidants.
- Honey antimicrobial compounds from tej.
Cultural Note
Tej Awaze is the condiment of the tej house — the combination of Ethiopia's honey wine and its fiercest spice blend in one paste that is spread on kitfo, on raw beef, and on the grilled meats served alongside the tej. It is the flavour of an Ethiopian evening in a tej bet.
Storage & Serving
Storage: Refrigerate 3 weeks.
Reheating: Not applicable.
Serve with: On kitfo (ETH029), On gored gored (ETH028), On tibs (ETH022), At tej houses alongside grilled meat