Plant-based

Misir Wot

Name: Misir Wot
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Cuisine: African
Ingredients: 300g red split lentils (dry), rinsed; 3 (450g) onions, very finely chopped; 5 cloves (25g) garlic, crushed; 25g fresh ginger, grated; 45g (3 tbsp) tomato purée; 15g (2 tbsp) berbere spice blend; 45ml rapeseed oil; 15ml lemon juice; 1 cube vegetable stock cube; 1.1L water

Ethiopian-style red lentils slow-cooked with plenty of onion, garlic, ginger and warming berbere spice into a thick, glossy stew.

makes 21 blocks, about 12p each

Jump to recipe

Time: 1 hr 10 min15 min prep · 55 min cook
Makes: 21 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 12p
Calories per blockCalories: 79 kcal
Spice

Ingredients

Batch size

blocks

300gred split lentils (dry), rinsed
3 (450g)onions, very finely chopped
5 cloves (25g)garlic, crushed
25gfresh ginger, grated
45g (3 tbsp)tomato purée
15g (2 tbsp)berbere spice blend
45mlrapeseed oil
15mllemon juice
1 cubevegetable stock cube
1.1Lwater

Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Nutrition

estimated

	1 block	3 blocks
Energy	79 kcal	237 kcal
Protein	4g	12g
Carbs	10.7g	32.1g
Fat	2.4g	7.2g
Fibre	2.3g	6.9g
Salt	0.23g	0.69g

Method

Step 1: Put the onions in a large, heavy pan with no oil and cook over a medium-low heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes until they collapse. Add the oil and cook for 10 minutes more until deep golden.
Step 2: Add the garlic and ginger for 2 minutes, then the berbere and tomato purée. Stir for 2 minutes until it darkens and smells toasty, adding a splash of water if it catches.
Step 3: Add the lentils, stock cube and water and bring to the boil. Simmer, partly covered, for 25–30 minutes, stirring often, until the lentils have broken down into a thick, glossy stew.
Step 4: Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt.
Step 5: Cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Hotter: add ½–1 tsp cayenne with the berbere.

Serve it

Injera or warm flatbread · Rice with a crisp tomato and onion salad · Alongside braised cabbage and carrots

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	79	4g	10.7g	2.4g	2.3g	0.23g
Per 3 blocks	237	12g	32.1g	7.2g	6.9g	0.69g

Cook’s notes

No berbere? Mix 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp cayenne, ½ tsp each of ground fenugreek, cardamom and cinnamon, and a pinch each of ground cloves and black pepper.
Berbere blends vary a lot in heat. Start with two-thirds of the amount, taste after the lentils go in and add the rest if you like.
A spoonful of dairy-free spread stirred in at the end gives the richness of the spiced butter used in Ethiopian kitchens.

Serve it

Injera or warm flatbread · Rice with a crisp tomato and onion salad · Alongside braised cabbage and carrots.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 237 kcal and 12g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Misir Wot questions

Why cook the onions without oil first?

Dry-cooking draws out the onions' water and breaks them down so far that they melt into the sauce, which is what makes the stew so thick and sweet. The oil goes in once they have collapsed, to brown them.

Can I use yellow split peas instead?

Yes, but they take much longer. Simmer them for 50–60 minutes with about 300ml extra water, and they will hold their shape more than red lentils.