Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter)

I almost didn't make this and wouldn't that have been a massive fail. This spiced butter was in every dish I made for the Great Ethiopian Food Project of 2012 in which I attempted to recreate the vegetarian combos from my favorite Ethiopian restaurants. It was easy, keeps for a couple months, made the house smell amazing, though I suspected the kitchen air was clogging my pores. Rather than post a photo of this bright yellow butter (thank you, turmeric, and your powerful tint), consider instead all the amazing dishes you can make with it.

Ingredients

1 lb unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 inches of fresh gingerroot, peeled in thin slices
3 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
1 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add everything else and simmer on the lowest possible heat for an hour.
   
2. Straing the clear golden liquid off, leaving all the solids in the pan.
   

A chef I met last night recommended using the remaining solids to make a brown butter, but I had already tossed mine out. Next time...