Awaze Tibs
አዋዜ ጥብስ·(uh-wah-zay teebs)
The Grandmother's Fridge: Batch-Cooked Foundations
The prevailing myth of traditional Ethiopian cooking is that it demands endless hours over a hot stove, but the reality is built on a brilliant foundation of make-ahead flavor bases. If you have a jar of fiery awaze and a stash of spiced niter kibbeh in your fridge, this legendary stir-fry comes together in a blisteringly fast fifteen minutes. It is a fierce, deeply savory sear of beef that refuses to compromise on the authentic, visceral taste of home—perfectly engineered for a random Tuesday night.
Before you start
Dry the meat thoroughly before cooking.
Moisture is the enemy of a good sear, so use paper towels to pat the beef cubes completely dry before seasoning them lightly with the kosher salt.
Ingredients
- beef ribeye or chuck roast1 1/2 lb
- kosher salt1 tsp
- neutral cooking oil2 tbsp
- red onion1 large
- garlic4 cloves
- fresh ginger1 tbsp
- awaze paste4 tbsp
- water or beef broth3 tbsp
- fresh tomatoes2 med
- jalapeño or serrano peppers2 med
- fresh rosemary1 large sprig
- niter kibbeh2 tbsp
Method
- 01
Sear the beef over high heat without crowding the pan.
Get a large cast-iron skillet smoking hot, add the neutral oil, and drop in the beef in a single layer, leaving it completely untouched for at least two minutes to build a proper crust.
- 02
Toss the meat to finish browning, then remove from the heat.
Once deeply crusted on the bottom, toss the cubes to sear the remaining sides for another two minutes, then transfer the meat to a plate and leave the heat on.
- 03
Sweat the aromatics in the residual beef fat.
Lower the heat to medium-high and sauté the sliced red onions for four to five minutes until deeply golden and sweet, then stir in the minced garlic and ginger for sixty seconds until highly fragrant.
- 04
Awaken the awaze paste and deglaze the skillet.
Push the onions to the edge, drop the awaze directly into the center to sizzle for thirty seconds, then pour in the water or broth to scrape up the browned bits and create your sauce base.
- 05
Marry the beef, sauce, and fresh finishers.
Return the seared beef and its resting juices to the pan, tossing thoroughly in the vibrant red sauce, then add the chopped tomatoes, sliced jalapeños, and strip the rosemary leaves directly into the mix.
- 06
Apply the grandmother's finish with cold niter kibbeh.
Cook for just two more minutes until the tomatoes soften slightly but hold their shape, then kill the heat entirely and stir in the cold spiced butter to mount the sauce into a glossy, luxurious finish.
Notes
Respect the sear by working in batches if necessary.
If you add too much meat to the pan at once, the temperature plummets and the beef steams in its own juices, resulting in a gray, tough disappointment rather than a savory, crusty tibs.
Give yourself permission to outsource the injera.
True injera requires days of fermentation, so buy it fresh from a local Ethiopian market, or serve this over steamed basmati rice or warm sourdough bread in a pinch.
Cool the fire with a bit of yogurt.
Awaze paste can vary wildly in heat; if your batch packs too much of a punch, balance the plate with a dollop of plain, unsweetened yogurt to cool the palate.