Wat (food) facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Tsebhi |
|---|---|
| Type | Stew |
| Place of origin | Ethiopia and Eritrea |
| Main ingredients | Meat (chicken, beef, or lamb), vegetables, niter kibbeh, spices |
Wat or wot (Amharic: ወጥ) or tsebhi (Tigrinya: ጸብሒ) is a tasty stew from Ethiopia and Eritrea. It's a very popular dish in both countries.
Wat can be made with different kinds of meat, like chicken, beef, or lamb. It also has many vegetables and special spices. Two important ingredients are berbere, a unique spice mix, and niter kibbeh, which is a seasoned butter.
What Makes Wat Special?
Wat is cooked in a special way that makes it different from other stews. The cooking starts with chopped onions. These onions are cooked slowly in a dry pot without any oil. This helps to remove a lot of their water.
After that, fat, usually niter kibbeh, is added. The onions and other flavorful ingredients are then cooked more. This method makes the onions break down and helps to thicken the stew.
People traditionally eat Wat with injera. Injera is a soft, spongy flat bread made from a grain called teff. There are many types of wats. Some popular ones are doro wat and siga wat, which is made with beef.
Doro Wat
Doro wat (Amharic: ዶሮ ወጥ) is a very popular traditional food. It is made from chicken and sometimes includes hard-boiled eggs. This dish is often enjoyed by groups of people.
They share it from a communal bowl with a basket of injera. Doro wat is a favorite in both Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Misir Wat
Misir wat is a delicious stew made from lentils. Its main ingredients are split red lentils, garlic, onions, and various spices.
This dish is very popular with vegans. It is also eaten a lot during fasting times by Orthodox Christians.
Sanbat Wat
There is a special Jewish version of doro wat called "sanbat wat." This dish is eaten by the Beta Israel, who are Ethiopian Jews. Sanbat wat is a traditional dish for Shabbat, which is the Sabbath day.
To follow Jewish food laws, vegetable oil can be used instead of ghee (clarified butter). This makes sure the dish does not mix meat and dairy. A special type of niter kibbeh made from vegetable oil, called yeqimem zeyet, can also be used.
See also
In Spanish: Wat (comida) para niños
