Menchet Abesh (Ground Meat with Eggs)

Name: Menchet Abesh (Ground Meat with Eggs)
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 1 lb ground beef; 1 large onion, grated; 2-3 Tbsp oil or butter, as needed; 2-2 ½ Tbsp Berbere; 2 ¼ cup water, divided (see note); 2-4 cloves garlic, grated; 4-6 eggs, hard boiled and peeled, prepared; 1 tsp mekelesha or Garam Masala; Salt, to taste

Image of Menchet Abesh (Ground Meat with Eggs)

Servings

Prep Time

10-15 minutes

Cook Time

1-2 hour

Adapted from traditional Ethiopian recipes we learned to make on a recent sourcing trip, this dish stars our Berbere — a vibrant and complex blend of 17 individual ingredients.

Author:

Adapted from traditional recipes by Ethan Frisch, Ori Zohar and Alyssa Melendez

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, grated
2-3 Tbsp oil or butter, as needed
2-2 ½ Tbsp Berbere
2 ¼ cup water, divided (see note)
2-4 cloves garlic, grated
4-6 eggs, hard boiled and peeled, prepared
1 tsp mekelesha or Garam Masala
Salt, to taste

Directions

Sauté 1lb ground beef in a pot with a little water until browned and the fat has rendered out. Remove the beef with a slotted spoon but keep any remaining fat in the pot.
Add onion and cook over low heat until the onion is browned, about 5-10 minutes. Add more oil or butter as necessary to keep from sticking.
Add 2-2 ½ tablespoons berbere powder and stir until fully incorporated with the onions, adding a little water to keep from sticking.
Return the ground beef to the pot along with 2 cups of water, 2-4 cloves of grated garlic, and 4-6 whole, peeled hard boiled eggs.
Cover and simmer for 45-90 minutes.
Add 1 tsp of mekelesha or garam masala and salt to taste about 5 minutes before serving.