Misir Wat

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the whole spices (nutmeg, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds, black peppercorns, cardamom pods) for about 2-3 minutes, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.

Transfer the toasted whole spices to a spice grinder. Add the ground paprika and cayenne pepper. Grind until a fine powder forms. Set aside.

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and starting to caramelize.

Add the minced garlic and grated ginger to the pot. Cook for another 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

Stir in the prepared berbere spice blend and tomato paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the spices are fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.

Add the rinsed red lentils, water, salt, and bay leaf to the pot. Stir everything together.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 20-25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender and the stew has thickened. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Remove the bay leaf. Taste and adjust salt if needed. If the stew is too thick, add a little more water.

Serve the Misir Wat hot over cooked white rice. Garnish with chopped scallions.