Ingredients
- •1 ½ cups red lentils (masoor dal), rinsed
- •3 cups water
- •1 tsp kosher salt
- •For spiced base:
- •3 tbsp unsalted butter (or niter kibbeh)
- •2 large red onions, very finely diced
- •4 cloves garlic, minced
- •1 tbsp fresh ginger, grated
- •2 tbsp berbere spice blend
- •1 tbsp tomato paste
- •½ tsp ground turmeric
- •For serving:
- •Injera bread (or warm flatbread)
- •Plain yogurt
- •Fresh cilantro
- •Hard-boiled eggs (optional)
Instructions
Place rinsed red lentils in a large mason jar or vacuum-seal bag with 3 cups water and salt.
If using a jar, fill only 3/4 full. If using a bag, leave room for expansion.
Preheat sous vide bath to 194°F (90°C).
Submerge and cook for 6 h until lentils are completely soft and beginning to dissolve.
About 30 min before serving, make the spiced base. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add diced onions and cook 15–20 min, stirring often, until deeply caramelized and dark golden.
Add garlic and ginger, cook 2 min.
Add berbere spice, tomato paste, and turmeric. Stir for 1 min until the spices bloom.
When lentils are done, carefully pour them and their liquid into the spiced onion base.
Stir to combine and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 min, stirring occasionally.
The lentils should be thick and porridge-like. Add water if too thick; simmer longer if too thin.
Taste and adjust with salt.
Spread on a sheet of injera or serve in bowls with flatbread for scooping.
Top with a dollop of yogurt, fresh cilantro, and halved hard-boiled eggs if desired.
Notes
- •Red lentils are the correct variety — they dissolve into a creamy stew, unlike green or brown lentils
- •Caramelizing the onions deeply is essential; they become the sauce's backbone
- •Berbere blends vary — taste yours and start with less if it's very spicy
- •Mesir wat is traditionally served communally on a large sheet of injera with other stews