Tibs

Ingredients

Tibs

• 800 gbeef sirloin or rump, or lamb leg, cut into 2–3 cm cubes
• 3 tbspniter kibbeh
• 1 tbspvegetable oil
• 2red onions, cut into thick wedges
• 3garlic cloves, sliced
• 1thumb ginger, cut into fine strips
• 3–4green karia chillies, slit lengthways
• 2 sprigsfresh rosemary
• 1 tspberbere or mitmita
• ½ tspground korarima
• ½ tspblack pepper
• 2tomatoes, cut into wedges (optional)
• 50 mldry red wine or water
• salt

To serve

• injera or ambasha bread
• awaze paste, for dipping

Directions

1. Pat the meat completely dry and season with salt and black pepper. Wet meat steams instead of searing, and tibs is defined by the sear.
2. Heat a heavy cast-iron pan or a clay mitad over the highest heat until it is smoking.
3. Add the oil and half the niter kibbeh, then the meat in a single uncrowded layer, working in two batches if you have to. Leave it untouched for 90 seconds to build a crust, then toss and sear 2–3 minutes more until browned outside and still pink within.
4. Push the meat to the side, add the onion wedges and cook 3 minutes until charred at the edges but still crunchy; they must not soften into a stew.
5. Add the garlic, ginger, rosemary and chillies and toss for 1 minute, until the rosemary crackles and perfumes the pan.
6. Sprinkle in the berbere, korarima and remaining niter kibbeh and toss hard for a minute so the spice coats everything without catching on the metal.
7. Deglaze with the wine or water, scraping the base, and let it reduce to a few spoonfuls of glossy pan sauce, about a minute. Add the tomato wedges for the last 30 seconds if using.
8. Tip straight onto injera, or into a preheated clay dish set over glowing charcoal, and serve at once with awaze and more injera.

Technique

• Tibs is a fast, hot, dry saute and not a stew. If liquid is pooling in the pan the heat is too low or the pan is too crowded.
• Rosemary is genuinely traditional in Ethiopian tibs rather than a European borrowing; it goes in whole and late so it perfumes rather than dominates.
• Doneness is a matter of preference and has its own names: derek tibs is cooked through and dry, while most kitchens serve it just pink in the middle.
• Tibs is celebration food eaten with the hands, and it is served the moment it leaves the pan.

Substitutions

• Goat and lamb are as traditional as beef; for lamb use leg or shoulder cut slightly larger and allow two extra minutes.

Variations

• Zilzil tibs, cut into long strips rather than cubes and served hanging over the dish.
• Shekla tibs, brought to the table sizzling in a clay pot set over live charcoal.
• Awaze tibs, finished with a spoonful of awaze so every piece is lacquered dark red.

History

Sautéed meat historically served to honour a guest or mark a special occasion, still brought sizzling to the table on a charcoal-heated clay dish.

Frequently asked questions

What is Tibs?

Tibs is a main from Ethiopia: beef or lamb sautéed with onion, rosemary and chili. Sautéed meat historically served to honour a guest or mark a special occasion, still brought sizzling to the table on a charcoal-heated clay dish.

How long does Tibs take to make?

Tibs takes 15 min of preparation and 20 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated easy to make.

What can I substitute in Tibs?

Yes, within limits. Goat and lamb are as traditional as beef; for lamb use leg or shoulder cut slightly larger and allow two extra minutes.

What is the most important thing to get right in Tibs?

Pat the meat completely dry and season with salt and black pepper. Wet meat steams instead of searing, and tibs is defined by the sear.