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Anchote (Oromo root with spiced butter)
Ancootee: boiled anchote root mashed with niter kibbeh, garlic and mitmita
Anchote is a climbing plant native to western Ethiopia, and its orange-fleshed root is treasured in Wollega, where it is served at Meskel, at weddings and whenever honoured guests arrive. The root is boiled whole in its skin, peeled, then chopped or roughly mashed and warmed through with niter kibbeh, garlic and a pinch of fiery mitmita. The result is soft, slightly sticky and buttery, with a gentle sweetness somewhere between sweet potato and squash, and it is eaten on its own or with ayib and injera. Look for anchote at Ethiopian grocers; if you cannot find it, taro or cassava boiled the same way gives a close texture with a milder taste. Peeling it raw is a mistake: the sap is sticky and the flesh crumbles; boil it in its skin and the peel slips off. Chef's tip: stir the butter in over a very low heat so the root becomes glossy without frying or catching.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb anchote rootsscrubbed; or taro or cassava
- 4 tbsp niter kibbehEthiopian spiced butter, see our recipe; or unsalted butter with a pinch of cardamom
- 3 garlic clovesfinely chopped
- 1 tsp mitmitaor 0.5 tsp cayenne plus a pinch of ground cardamom and clove
- ¾ tsp salt
- 3 ½ oz ayib or ricotta (optional)to serve; see our ayib recipe
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put 1 ¾ lb anchote roots, whole and unpeeled, in a large pan, cover with cold water and bring to the boil.
8 minStep 2: Simmer for 35–45 minutes until a knife slides into the thickest root with no resistance. Top up with boiling water if needed.
40 minStep 3: Drain and leave until cool enough to handle, then rub or peel off the skins.
Step 4: Chop the flesh into small pieces, or crush roughly with a fork, keeping some texture.
Step 5: Melt 4 tbsp niter kibbeh in a wide pan over a low heat, add 3 garlic cloves and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant but not brown.
2 minStep 6: Add the anchote, 1 tsp mitmita and ¾ tsp salt and turn gently for 3–4 minutes until hot through and glossy. Serve warm, with 3 ½ oz ayib or ricotta on the side if you like.
4 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 290 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does anchote (Oromo root with spiced butter) take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 50 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.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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