Doro Wat (Ethiopian Spiced Chicken Stew)

Method

1. 1Pat the chicken drumsticks dry with paper towels (don't rinse raw chicken; it only spreads bacteria around the sink), rub them with the lemon juice and a little salt, and keep them in the fridge while you build the sauce. Hard-boil the eggs now too: cover them with cold water, bring to the boil and simmer about 10 minutes until the yolks are firm, then cool them in cold water and peel.
2. 2Cook the finely chopped onions in a dry pot over low heat (add a teaspoon of oil only if the onions start to catch), stirring often, for 20–30 minutes until deeply softened, collapsed, and jammy. This slow base is the soul of the dish — don't rush it.
3. 3Stir in half the niter kibbeh, the minced garlic, and ginger, and cook a few minutes until fragrant.
4. 4Add the berbere and tomato paste and fry gently 5–10 minutes, stirring, until darkened and glossy and the raw spice smell is gone. Loosen with a splash of stock if it sticks.
5. 5Nestle in the chicken, turning to coat in the paste. Pour in the stock to almost cover, bring to a gentle simmer, cover and cook for 40–45 minutes, until the sauce is thick and the chicken is very tender: the meat pulls away from the bone, the juices show no pink and the thickest drumstick reads 74°C (165°F) next to the bone.
6. 6Prick the peeled hard-boiled eggs a few times and submerge them in the sauce. Stir in the remaining niter kibbeh and simmer uncovered 10–15 minutes to reduce and let the eggs absorb the flavour.
7. 7Taste for salt and finish with a squeeze from the lemon wedge. Serve hot on a large injera, with extra injera alongside for scooping.