Eritrean Zigni (Beef Stew with Berbere)
An Eritrean beef stew slowly cooked with tomatoes, scallions, and berbere, an aromatic, spicy seasoning blend. Serves 6.
Zigni is an Eritrean beef stew commonly served with injera. Hands-on preparation takes about 20 minutes and cooking takes about 2 hours 30 minutes; these times are approximate. The amount of berbere gives the stew its character and determines much of its heat.
Ingredient allergens
Allergen listThere are no verified associations for these ingredients yet.
Method
- 01
Brown the beef
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef cubes in batches until browned on the outside.
Ready to continue when: The meat is browned on several sides.
- 02
Add the aromatics
Add the scallions and garlic to the pot. Cook briefly, stirring, until the scallions begin to soften.
Ready to continue when: The scallions begin to soften and the garlic smells fragrant.
- 03
Add the berbere
Stir in the berbere to coat the beef and aromatics. Cook briefly without letting the spices burn.
Ready to continue when: The beef and aromatics are coated in a fragrant reddish mixture.
- 04
Add the tomatoes and simmer
Add the tomatoes in their juice and the salt. Stir and bring to a gentle simmer; lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 120 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ready to continue when: The sauce bubbles gently and begins to thicken around the beef.
120 min - 05
Finish with cilantro
Add the chopped cilantro and continue simmering for 30 minutes, until the beef is very tender and the sauce has come together.
Ready to continue when: The beef breaks apart easily when pressed with a fork, and the sauce is thick.
30 min
Ingredients
Sources and review
Content researched, cross-checked and automatically validated. Sources consulted:
- Higiene de los alimentos www.aesan.gob.es/seguridad-alimentaria/higiene-alimentos
- International Cooking: Food from Eritrea - The Flavor Vortex www.theflavorvortex.com/international-cooking-food-from-eritrea/
- Eritrea - Eritrean Cuisine - Westlandpeppers shop.westlandpeppers.com/en/inspiratie/eritrea/?srsltid=AYCX9vKRe-PGVobtIcNZTXvprb5DN0XopwxC…
- - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6hyRe5sfgA
- The Traditional Food You Must Taste in Eritrea - Turuhi turuhi.com/resources/traditional-eritrean-recipes/
- Eritrea - Recipes www.eritrea.be/old/eritrea-recipes.htm
- Eritrean Food: Top 11 Dishes - TasteAtlas www.tasteatlas.com/best-rated-dishes-in-eritrea
- About the food of Eritrea | Global Table Adventure globaltableadventure.com/2011/02/22/about-the-food-of-eritrea/
- Eritrea’s National Dish and Shared Culinary Heritage | Remitly www.remitly.com/blog/en-au/food/national-dish-of-eritrea/
- Zigni - Receta Tradicional de Eritrea | 196 flavors www.196flavors.com/es/eritrea-zigni/?srsltid=AYCX9vLbIEEK3ytlDPjShWSTpTYQPdUWccOFtpvX4yj8rkq…
- Zighinì - Recetas italianas de GialloZafferano www.giallozafferano.es/recetas/zighini.html
- Gastronomía de Eritrea - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastronom%C3%ADa_de_Eritrea
- Zigni: origen, ingredientes y alérgenos www.menuella.com/es/food-wiki/zigni
- La receta de Zignie, uno de los platos más tradicionales de Eritrea www.clarin.com/videos/receta-zignie-platos-tradicionales-eritrea_3_NpSj5pC1gN.html
- Zigni: el estofado picante de ternera de Eritrea | Sekai Gohan sekaigohan.com/es/recipes/africa/eritrea/zigni
State: Published after documentary validation; no “Tested” label is shown.