Ethiopian spiced clarified butter (Niter kibbeh)

1. Chop the onion, crush the garlic and slice the ginger thinly; lightly crack the cardamom and coriander seeds in a mortar.

2. Melt the butter over low heat in a heavy-based pan and let it foam.

3. Add the onion, garlic, ginger and all the spices.

4. Simmer very gently without stirring for 45-50 minutes until the milk solids settle at the bottom and turn slightly brown, and the butter becomes clear, golden and fragrant.

5. Strain through a fine sieve or a double layer of muslin into a clean, dry jar and discard the solids.

6. Let cool, seal and keep in the fridge; use it to flavour wats, kitfo, tibs and chechebsa.

Tip: Niter kibbeh is the basic cooking fat of Ethiopian cuisine: it is what makes doro wat and kitfo so unmistakably fragrant. The traditional recipe also contains koseret (an Ethiopian herb); you can replace it with thyme or a pinch of oregano. It keeps for 2-3 months in the fridge, because removing the milk solids stops it going rancid quickly.