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Kinche (Ethiopian cracked wheat breakfast)
Kinche: fluffy cracked wheat cooked dry and finished with spiced butter
Rooms full of hotel guests in Adama and Bishoftu are offered kinche at breakfast, and in Oromo and Amhara homes it is the quick morning dish made from a sack of cracked wheat or barley kept in the cupboard. The grain is boiled until it has drunk all its water and turns fluffy and separate, like a cross between bulgur pilaf and porridge, then a generous spoon of niter kibbeh is stirred through so every grain is glossy and fragrant. It is nutty, soft and buttery, eaten with a spoon and a cup of coffee, sometimes topped with a little ayib or a spoon of berbere-spiked oil. The common mistake is too much water, which makes it mushy; measure it and keep the lid on. Chef's tip: toast the dry grain in a little of the butter for two minutes before adding water; it stays more separate and tastes nuttier.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz coarse cracked wheator cracked barley; coarse bulgur works too
- 4 tbsp niter kibbehEthiopian spiced butter, see our recipe; or unsalted butter with a pinch of cardamom
- 2 cups water
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp berbere (optional)to sprinkle
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Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Rinse 9 oz coarse cracked wheat in a sieve and drain well.
Step 2: Melt 1 tbsp niter kibbeh in a saucepan over a medium heat, add the grain and stir for 2 minutes until it smells toasty.
2 minStep 3: Pour in 2 cups water, add ¾ tsp salt and bring to the boil.
3 minStep 4: Cover, turn the heat to very low and cook for 15 minutes until the water has been absorbed and small holes appear on the surface.
15 minStep 5: Take off the heat and leave covered for 3 minutes, then fork in the rest of the 4 tbsp niter kibbeh until every grain is glossy. Serve hot, sprinkled with ½ tsp berbere if you like.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 300 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kinche (Ethiopian cracked wheat breakfast) take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 3 minutes to prepare and 22 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
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