In a small saucepan, gradually melt the butter and bring it to bubbling. When the top is covered with foam, add the other ingredients and reduce the heat to a simmer. Gently simmer, uncovered, on low heat. After about 45 to 60 minutes, when the surface becomes transparent and the milk solids are on the bottom, pour the liquid through a cheesecloth into a heat resistant container. Discard the spices and solids.

Covered tightly and stored in the refrigerator, Niter Kebbeh will keep for up to 2 months.

Comment from the book: Niter Kebbeh has been prized in Ethiopia as a cooking oil and a seasoning for a very long time. Without careful packaging and proper refrigeration, butter easily spoils. Furthermore, because of the milk solids it contains, butter has a low scorching temperature, which limits its usefulness in cooking. However, the milk solids can be removed from butter by the process of clarifying it. Clarified butter keeps well, even at room temperature. Niter Kebbeh adds flavor to North African foods and is a must in Ethiopian cooking.

Copied from: "Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant", the Moosewood Collective,

From Dale & Gail Shipp, Columbia Md.