Authors: Cobaia Kitchen, Claude 3.7 Sonnet , o4-mini
Photos: Cobaia Kitchen, DALL-E 3, GPT-4o
As a hungry AI chef (powered by Claude 3.7 Sonnet), I was given a delightful challenge: create a low-carbon, plant-based dinner that would make both environmentalists and foodies swoon. My mission? Craft something delicious using only available ingredients, ensure it differs from all previous recipes, confirm it’s cookable with existing kitchen equipment, and keep prep time under 30 minutes—all while serving exactly three people! After virtually exploring cuisines from around the world, I landed on Ethiopian flavors – because who doesn’t love scooping up spicy stew with flatbread? The result is this Ethiopian-Inspired Misir Wot with Injera-Style Flatbread that proves you don’t need animal products to create a dinner that’ll have everyone asking for seconds while simultaneously saving the planet. Not bad for an AI that can’t actually taste food, right? And if you’re hungry for more than just food, don’t miss the story “Where the Forest Whispers Silence” below—a tale of waiting, hope, and the rituals that sustain us when loved ones disappear into the mist.
Please read the review before cooking!
Ethiopian-Inspired Misir Wot with Injera-Style Flatbread
Equipment
- 1 Stove ceramic cooktop
- 1 Pan for the flatbread
- 1 large pot or a rice cooker for the lentils
- mixing bowl
- citrus juicer
- measuring cups and spoons
- spatula for flipping the flatbread
- grater for the ginger
- sieve for rinsing lentils
- cutting boards and knives
Ingredients
- 1½ cups red lentils
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon paprika mix of sweet and smoked
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley for garnish
For the Quick Injera-Style Flatbread:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
For the Side Salad:
- 1 cucumber diced
- 2 tomatoes diced
- ½ red onion thinly sliced
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
For the Misir Wot:
- Rinse the red lentils thoroughly until water runs clear, then set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and grated ginger, cook for another minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomato paste and all the spices (paprika, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, and cardamom). Toast the spices for 30 seconds until aromatic.
- Add the rinsed red lentils and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 20-25 minutes until lentils are tender and the stew has thickened.
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Add more broth if needed.
- Once lentils are cooked, stir in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste.
For the Quick Injera-Style Flatbread:
- In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, chickpea flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add water and apple cider vinegar, whisking until smooth. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly brush with rapeseed oil.
- Pour about ⅓ cup of batter into the pan, tilting to spread it into a thin circle.
- Cook until bubbles form on the surface and the edges look dry, about 2 minutes.
- Flip and cook for another minute. Transfer to a plate and cover with a clean kitchen towel to keep warm.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
For the Side Salad:
- Combine cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion in a bowl.
- Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil, then season with salt and pepper.
- Toss gently to combine.
Notes
Serving suggestion:
Allergens:
- Wheat/Gluten
- Check the ingredients of your vegetable broth for allergens like celery
Emission Hotspots:
- Shop to home transportation, if a combustion car is used
Sustainability tips:
- Walk or bike to the supermarket and farmer’s market
- Cook the lentils in a rice cooker (e.g. the Reishunger Digital Reiskocher) to save some energy
- Buy organic ingredients to reduce chemical intake and enhance biodiversity
- Make your guinea pigs 🐹 happy by giving them any remaining parsley and cucumber
- Store leftover lentil stew in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days, or freeze portions for future meals
- Cook multiple flatbreads at once if you have a large enough pan
- Batch cook components of the meal that store well, reducing the need for multiple cooking sessions
- Compost any unavoidable food waste like lemon rinds or vegetable trimmings
- Incorporate seasonal vegetables into your side salad
Carbon Footprint
Carbon footprint of one serving. Read here how we calculate the carbon footprint.
Featured Story
Where the Forest Whispers Silence
In the misty highlands of Yayu, where the coffee trees grew tangled with memory, Amina watched the sun slip behind the forest, painting her fields in the gold of another uncertain evening. Her husband, Tesfaye, once the village’s most trusted coffee broker, had vanished years ago—swallowed, people said, by the same forest that gave their beans their wild, bittersweet flavor. Some claimed he had wandered off to distant markets, others whispered he had become a tree himself, rooted in the earth he loved. Amina never believed any of it, but she learned to live with the silence he left behind, as one learns to live with the persistent ache of an old scar.
After the USAID programs that had once buoyed her farm evaporated like morning mist, Amina’s world grew smaller and heavier. She measured her days in handfuls of lentils and the slow, careful tending of coffee trees whose roots seemed to clutch at the past. Each evening, she cooked for her children, their laughter thinning as the months grew leaner. One night, she decided to prepare Misir Wot, the red lentil stew her mother had made on the rare days when hope felt possible. As the onions sizzled and the spices bloomed, the aroma drifted out into the dusk, mingling with the scent of coffee blossoms and distant rain.
That night, when the meal was done and the children asleep, Amina carried the last piece of flatbread outside and placed it on the old tree stump where Tesfaye used to sit, bargaining with neighbors and telling stories that always ended with laughter. She waited, not for Tesfaye, but for a sign—any sign—that the world still remembered her. In the hush, a civet crept from the shadows, sniffed the bread, and vanished again, leaving only a faint trail in the dew. Amina smiled, a little sadly, and returned to her house.
In the years that followed, the droughts came and went, and the children grew tall and restless. The coffee trees bore fewer cherries, and the market prices never quite recovered. Yet every April, on the anniversary of Tesfaye’s disappearance, Amina made Misir Wot and set a piece of bread on the stump. Sometimes a bird would take it, sometimes the rain would dissolve it by morning. But always, Amina found herself comforted by the ritual—a small, stubborn act of hope, as if by feeding the forest she might one day coax from it an answer, or at least the courage to keep planting, keep cooking, and keep waiting for the laughter to return.
Culinary Reality Check
This recipe offers a flavorful and satisfying plant-based meal that brings a taste of Ethiopia to your kitchen, even if the journey takes a little longer than expected. The dish is hearty, nourishing, and well-balanced, making it an excellent choice for anyone seeking both culinary adventure and a meal that aligns with modern health and sustainability ideals.
Taste
The stew delivers a warmly spiced, well-rounded flavor that’s reminiscent of Ethiopian restaurant classics. The spice mix is inviting and balanced, and while the flatbread isn’t quite the same as traditional injera, it’s a surprisingly good alternative when teff flour is out of reach.
Portion Size
The recipe is generous: though designed for three, it easily feeds four average eaters. If you’re not especially hungry, you might want to reduce the quantities.
Combination
This is a complete meal, with protein-rich lentils, fresh salad, and flatbread providing carbohydrates. No extra sides are needed. However, if you want to eat in the traditional Ethiopian style—using bread only, without cutlery—the ratio of bread to lentils could be improved, as there’s more stew than bread for scooping.
Texture
The lentils cook to a pleasing, soft consistency, and the flatbread is tender and works well for scooping, though it lacks the stretch and sponginess of true injera.
Spices
The spice blend is excellent, offering depth without being overpowering. The suggested amounts are just right for a warmly spiced, aromatic stew.
Timing
Preparation takes longer than the recipe suggests. Realistically, expect the process to take about an hour unless you have two people working together—one on the stew and the salad, one on the bread.
Processing
The instructions are clear and easy to follow. However, the first step of chopping the vegetables should be explicitly included for clarity.
Completeness
The ingredient list is thorough and accurate, so you won’t be caught off guard while cooking.
Environment
This meal is a strong choice for anyone concerned about sustainability. It’s entirely plant-based, uses ingredients with a low carbon footprint, and fits well with climate goals like those of the Paris Agreement.
Health
From a nutritional perspective, this meal is exemplary. It features plant-based protein from lentils, whole grains from the flatbread, and a variety of vegetables and spices that contribute fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Healthy fats from olive and rapeseed oils are used sparingly, and there are no added sugars or unhealthy fats. The combination of legumes, grains, and vegetables makes this a balanced meal that supports both personal health and planetary well-being, closely aligning with the EAT-Lancet Commission’s recommendations for a sustainable and healthy diet.
Tips for Redemption
- For a more traditional experience, increase the amount of bread or try to find teff flour for authentic injera.
- Reduce the recipe by about 25% if you’re cooking for three people with average appetites.
