I wish you could smell my apartment right now. An enticingly sweet-spicy aroma permeates the whole place, but I can no longer separate out its components. I only know what it says to me: Ethiopian spiced butter.

You may not think you’ll have much use for niter kibbeh, but I love to make a simple appetizer of steamed collard greens and cottage cheese laced with the spiced butter. I’ve also used it to fry latkes. And tonight, I used it to fry Brussels sprouts.

It’s not quite as bizarre as it sounds - there’s also an Ethiopian dish of steamed cabbage, carrots and potato tossed with niter kibbeh. Can I say this stuff just makes everything better? Anyway, cabbage –> Brussels sprouts.

People always cite Brussels sprouts as a classic food that kids hate, but I loved them. Maybe because they’re so cute, like mini cabbages. I was perfectly happy to eat them boiled, even if that’s probably the worst possible way to prepare them.

You can do well by Brussels sprouts by roasting them, but the best suggestion I’ve found so far is to shred them. Slice each sprout very thinly horizontally, starting at the top, then fluff the slices so they separate into wisps of sprout leaf. You’ll also get some slices of solid core - just pick them out. I wouldn’t recommend using the food processor as a short cut. You’ll end up with chopped bits of sprouts, not wisps.

The shredded sprouts are fantastic when sauteed in olive oil with bacon or pancetta, and as for the sprouts in niter kibbeh, I think I just ate three cups of it.

Niter kibbeh
Adapted from The Africa News Cookbook and Exotic Ethiopian Cooking

1 lb butter (4 sticks)
4TB chopped onion
1 1/2 TB finely chopped garlic
2 tsp grated or chopped fresh ginger
1/2 tsp powdered turmeric
Seeds of 2-4 green cardamom pods, crushed
1-inch piece of cinnamon stick
2-3 whole cloves
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp oregano
(Optional but recommended)
1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds
1/4 tsp dried sacred basil

Slowly melt the butter in a saucepan, then bring to a boil. When it gets really foamy, skim off the foam and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer about 15 minutes, skimming off any more foam. Remove from heat and let sit so the spices settle. Strain through a double layer of cheesecloth into the vessel of your choice. It keeps in the refrigerator indefinitely.