As we close out the semester, I’d like to take a moment to shout out several of the Black student-run organizations. The significance of these organizations cannot be overstated. It is through our participation in Black-led clubs and organizations that we can leave our mark on campus. One example is the very magazine that you’re holding now. It was produced by Black Ink Magazine, a publication that allows Black UNC students to explore their creativity and write about topics that are important to them. Similarly, HBUNC creates media for the Black community at UNC to enjoy. There are specific cultural organizations like the African Student Association, the Caribbean Student Association, and the Muslim Student Association. There are also groups like Sis 2 Sis, Black on Track, Black Minds in Neuro, and the list goes on and on.
“The list goes on and on”?
Isn’t it a miracle in itself to be able to say that? Yes, the Black UNC community is facing many problems. Black enrollment has gone down, the joint ownership between BSM and the Upendo lounge has been annulled, the six area studies centers are shutting down (including the African studies center and the center for Middle East and Islamic studies), and the names of enslavers remain on many UNC buildings. But not all hope is lost. It is through our involvement in campus activities that we can make our voices heard. We need to stick together. If we present ourselves as a unit, it will be harder for the administration to ignore us.
That was the reasoning behind the founding of the Black Student Movement in 1967. And I dare say it has been successful in its mission, in it being the largest cultural organization on campus. To celebrate Black History Month, I sat down with BSM President Adam Sherif. Adam is a senior from Sacramento, California. He’s majoring in data science and minoring in public policy. Some of his hobbies are playing basketball, hiking, and watching movies and tv shows. 
One of Adam’s favorite foods is Doro Wot (or Doro Wat), an East African chicken stew. The chicken is slow-cooked with onions, a potent spice called berbere, clarified butter, ginger, garlic, and boiled eggs. It’s usually cooked in large amounts and plated up on a sharable platter with Injera, an Eritrean and Ethiopian flatbread. Injera is typically served with all kinds of vegetable and meat dips, but Adam always goes for the Doro Wot. He was introduced to the dish by his Dad’s side of the family. He’d go over to his cousins’ house over in Elk Grove, which isn’t too far from Sacramento, and the strong scent of the berbere would immediately fill his nose. The injera was normally prepared in advance, and it’d already be laid out on the serving platter, ready for his aunt to gently pour the rich, hearty doro wot on it.
A year or so ago, Adam went back to Sacramento and visited an Ethiopian restaurant with friends from middle school. They ordered injera and doro wot and reminisced about all the good times they’d had together. Since none of his friends had eaten injera or doro wot before, he taught them how to eat it. You see, the taste of doro wot is one thing, but Adam also enjoys the community aspect of it. Doro wot is a dish that’s eaten communally, and instead of utensils, you use the injera to scoop up the stew. He’s able to find a sense of community in sharing this meal with others and showing them the proper way to eat it. Everyone loves it. And Adam loves sharing that little bit of joy with others.
Perhaps this kind nature is what has allowed Adam to serve the UNC community so steadfastly as BSM president. Or maybe he too is driven by a need to leave an impact on the campus and make his voice heard. Nevertheless, this Black History Month, I encourage you to take a moment, sit down, and share with others, whether that be by eating a big heaping plate of doro wot together, by having lighthearted policy debates, by talking about Black history, or by discussing your hopes and dreams. What you share isn’t important; it’s the sense of community that truly matters. As I stated above, if we present ourselves as a unit, it will be harder for the administration to ignore us. That’s a lesson our ancestors are intimately familiar with.
Doro Wot Recipe (courtesy of blackfoodie.co)
- 1 whole chicken, cut into 12 pieces
- 9 onions
- ½ cup Berbere Spice
- 1 tbsp of minced garlic
- 1 tbsp of finely minced or pureed ginger
- 1 cup neutral oil
- 1 tbsp Korrarima spice (Ethiopian Black cardamom)
- 1 tbsp Mekelesha spice. This is a spice blend that acts as a finishing spice to add more flavour to stews
- ¼ cup Tesmi (Kibbeh). This is Ethiopian spiced clarified butter.
- 6 tbsp Tomato paste (1 small tin)
- Hot water
- 3 lemons or limes for cleaning chicken
1. Cut 9 onions into 4 pieces and use a food processor to achieve a finely chopped consistency and set aside.
2. Finely mince garlic and ginger and set aside
3. Remove Skin from chicken and cut the chicken into 12 pieces (traditional method ) or you can use chicken thighs and drumsticks instead to save time. Ensure the Then thoroughly wash chicken with lemons/limes and set aside.
4. Hardboil eggs, peel and set aside
5. In a large pot, add onions and caramelize. Do not add oil till it begins to change colour and moisture has been removed. Then add oil and continuously stir. It’s important to achieve a rich colour and allow onions to fully caramelize for the stew’s flavour! This can take from 30 mins to an hour, keep an eye on the pot and stir.
6. Next add Berbere spice blend and stir, add a bit of hot water if necessary to prevent it from sticking or burning. Then add tomato paste and stir.
7. Next add ginger and garlic and stir. Then add Korrarima spice and continue to stir till evenly incorporated. Add hot water as needed (do not add more than necessary to keep mixture from becoming too thick or burning)
8. Next cut a few slits into each chicken piece (see video for example) and add to the stew. Ensure the chicken is fully immersed and add a bit of very hot water as needed and stir.
9. Next add Tesmi (kibbeh) and stir until it’s melted and evenly incorporated into the stew.
10. When the stew is almost ready add a tbsp of Mekelesha, this spice blend adds a finishing extra kick of flavour to the stew.
11. Finally, cut slits into the hardboiled eggs and add to the stew.
12. Serve with Injera and enjoy!
