Niter Kebbeh - Ethiopian spiced ghee

Instead of oil or butter, for many dishes I use Niter Kebbeh, which is an Ethiopian clarified spiced butter. It is easy to make, cooking time is about 45 to 60 minutes. Niter Kebbeh is stored in the refrigerator and I use it for up to three months.

Ingredients:
500 g butter
3 tablespoons coarsely shredded onion
2 tablespoons coarsely shredded garlic
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon tumaric
3-4 cloves
1/2 teaspoon fenugrec seeds
3-4 cardammon pods

Melt butter at low heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add all other ingredients and simmer for 30-to 40 minutes.

Strain throufh a narrow sieve or cheesecloth and discard the spices and solids.

Vegetable Stock

This Vegetable Stock is very easy to make, it has all the advantages you can think of: a great taste, only the ingredients you choose to have, no preservatives and very little cost.
I use it as a base for risotti, soups and curries: The heap of vegetables as shown in the picture cost under 2€ at the local Farmer's market.


The recipe:
2 kg leaks, carrots, asparagus, spring onions, etc., washed and cut in chunks 5-6 liters water
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon peppercorns
3 slices ginger
1 laurel leave
3 chilies

Bring everything in a large pot to the boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 1 hour.

Strain.

Refrigerate the amount you will use within the next 3-4 days.

Freeze or can the rest. For me, canning is a good option, as my refrigerator as well as the freezer compartment are always packed. My canning containers hold small amounts
which will be used for one meal.

Homemade Kitchen Staples: Elderflower-Syrup - Holunderblütensirup

One of my favorite kitchen-staples is homemade Elderflower-Syrup.
The Elderberry-tree grows almost everywhere, you can find it in public parks, as well as in woods. May is the time to gather the blossoms.
The recipe for the syrup is quite simple: make sure there are no little bugs in the blossoms, i.e. shake them gently, then trim the stems and put the flowers in a non-reactive pot.










Bring 1 part water and 1 part sugar to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, skim and discard the foam, let cool completely. Pour over the blossoms and make sure, the are completely covered.


Slice one or two organic lemons and spread them on top. Cover with a lit and stir several times a day. Let this concoction brew for 5 to 6 days outside the fridge.

For fast consumption within the next 1 - 2 months, I filtered, bottled and refridgerated this concotion, which, due to the natural yeasts and the added sugar, has turned into a lively sparkling lemonade, that I mainly use to infuse buttermilk witth. This is very refreshing, as it adds taste and CO2 to the otherwise quite plain tasting butttermilk.

The majority of the batch will be used over the course of the coming year, so I filtered, pasteurized it by boiling it for 4 minutes, and filled it in sterilized bottles.

This Syrup is - contrary to its name, not sweet, but rather sweet-sour, and I use it mostly for salad dressings, or as a substitute for lemon juice or vinagar.