niter kebbeh

food

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July 19, 2026

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Niter kebbeh is a spiced, clarified butter widely used in Ethiopian cuisine to flavor sautéed foods. It is a key ingredient in many dishes, particularly wats and alechas, which are flavorful stews.1

Ethiopian cuisine is known for its distinctive dishes, often featuring berbere, a spicy seasoning paste made with dried chilies. Due to religious observances that mandate abstaining from meat for many days of the year, vegetarian dishes are also a significant part of the cuisine. Traditional meals are often served communally on injera, a spongy flatbread made from teff, which serves as both a plate and utensil.1

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Ethiopia
Daily life and social customs
A spiced clarified butter, niter kebbeh, is widely used to flavour sautéed foods. Since the Ethiopian Orthodox Church mandates abstaining from meat on as many as 250 days a year, vegetarian dishes form an important part of Ethiopian cuisine. Legumes such as lentils or chickpeas appear in many guises.…
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A spiced clarified butter, niter kebbeh, is widely used to flavour sautéed foods. Since the Ethiopian Orthodox Church mandates abstaining from meat on as many as 250 days a year, vegetarian dishes form an important part of Ethiopian cuisine. Legumes such as lentils or chickpeas appear in many guises.…
Read More