Doro wat at Etete. (Photo by Jing A Ling) Dish of the Week: Doro Wat
Doro wat, a spicy chicken stew, is probably one of Ethiopia’s best known dishes and can be found on the menu of pretty much any local Ethiopian restaurant. The sauce packs a deep heat from fresh ginger and an ample dose of berbere paste, a spice mixture that forms the backbone of many Ethiopian dishes. Onions and garlic, stewed until they disintegrate, and a whisper of cinnamon and nutmeg add sweetness to the heat. Hard-boiled eggs are added at the last minute, giving doro wat a unique contrast of textures between the moist chicken, firm egg whites, and cakey yolks.
But perhaps the best thing about eating doro wat is the sheer act of trying to get the food from the plate to your mouth. Of all the Ethiopian dishes, I’ve found doro wat to be the most difficult to consume gracefully; one cannot be delicate when trying to tear off a strip of chicken drumstick with your hands. And if you don’t grab onto that egg like you mean it, it’s bound to drop from your injera-wrapped fingers and roll away, splashing sauce in its wake. However, doro wat is more than worth the challenge (and possibly stained clothes). My favorite rendition is at Etete, where the sauce is hotter, brighter, and more cinnamon-y than elsewhere. Are you a doro wat fan? Tell us your favorite place to order it in the comments.
