Kitfo (Ethiopian Minced Raw Meat)
Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Kitfo is Ethiopia's celebrated dish of finely minced beef, seasoned with mitmita and berbere and bound with spiced clarified butter. The fat carries the heat of the spices through every bite, and the meat stays tender because nothing is cooked hard. Serve it with injera, mild ayib cheese and blanched collards to balance the fire. Buy the best beef you can find, since it is the main flavor here.
Instructions
Put the finely minced beef in a large bowl. Use a sharp knife to mince it yourself, or ask a butcher to do it.
In a small bowl, stir together the mitmita, salt, black pepper and berbere. Sprinkle the mixture over the beef and mix with a spoon or spatula until the spices are spread evenly through the meat.
Melt the clarified butter or olive oil in a small skillet over low heat. If you are using the spiced clarified butter, add it to the pan and let it melt along with the rest.
Pour the melted fat over the seasoned beef and mix thoroughly until everything is well combined and the meat looks glossy.
Cover the bowl and chill the kitfo in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so the flavors can meld.
If you prefer it cooked, warm the minced beef gently in a skillet over low heat for a few minutes, just until it is warmed through.
Shape the kitfo into a mound or individual portions on a plate. Set the injera, chopped collard greens and crumbled ayib alongside.
To eat, tear off a piece of injera, scoop a small amount of kitfo onto it, wrap it up and take a bite.
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