Awaze Tibs

Awaze Tibs is a festive Ethiopian grilled dish that showcases awaze — a fierce, brick-red spice paste made from berbere, tej (honey wine), and mitmita. Unlike the softer flavours of everyday tibs, awaze tibs carries a smoky, bold intensity that makes it the centrepiece of dinner parties and celebratory gatherings, served sizzling on a mitad (clay griddle) or cast-iron pan at the table.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

Beef

• 700g (1.5 lb) beef sirloin or ribeye, cut into 3cm (1.2-inch) cubes
• 3 tbsp (45ml) awaze paste (see below)
• 2 tbsp (30ml) kibbeh (spiced clarified butter) or ghee
• 1 large red onion, cut into large chunks
• 1 green pepper, cut into chunks
• Salt to taste

Awaze Paste

• 3 tbsp (45ml) berbere spice blend
• 2 tbsp (30ml) tej (Ethiopian honey wine) or dry mead or dry white wine
• 1 tbsp (15ml) vodka or araki (Ethiopian anise spirit)
• 1 tbsp ground mitmita or extra berbere
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• Salt to taste

To Serve

• Injera or flatbread
• Fresh rosemary sprigs (for garnish and aroma)
• Sliced raw onion and green chilli

Instructions

1. Make awaze paste: combine all paste ingredients and mix well. It should be thick and very spicy. Taste and adjust salt.
2. Coat beef cubes in 2 tbsp awaze paste. Marinate for 1-2 hours at room temperature or up to 8 hours refrigerated.
3. Heat a large cast-iron pan or grill plate over very high heat until smoking. Add kibbeh (it will foam).
4. Sear beef cubes in batches without overcrowding, 2 minutes per side for medium-rare. The outside should be charred in places. Remove and rest.
5. In the same hot pan, quickly fry onion chunks and green pepper for 2-3 minutes until charred at the edges.
6. Return beef to the pan. Add remaining 1 tbsp awaze paste and toss everything for 1 minute over high heat.
7. Serve immediately on the sizzling pan, garnished with fresh rosemary. Tear injera to scoop directly from the communal pan.

Cook's Notes: Kibbeh is the key fat for authentic flavour — its spiced, nutty quality is irreplaceable. Awaze paste can be made ahead and keeps refrigerated for 2 weeks. For a dinner party, serve the pan directly on a wooden board at the table; the sizzling presentation is part of the experience. Mitmita is a finely ground spice blend; cayenne can substitute.