Ethiopian Food

[Cubangirl]

I am in Boston now, and had Ethiopian food for the first time a couple of nights ago, and loved it. I really enjoyed the injera. I want to try to make some at home when I return. I found out that Bob's Red Mill makes Teff flour and my local health food store carries it as well as whole teff grain. I want to try some simple wats as well. There is a small grocery store across from where I am staying that is Ethiopian, and they have tubs of berbere for less than $4.00. I plan to get some the day before I leave for FL and put it in a ziplock and then freeze it at my mom's. So I will have the main ingredients, now I just need good recipes. Has anyone ever made it at home? If so any recipes, suggestions, etc. would be most welcome. Thanks.

[HomeCulinarian]

I need to try this out. There is a popular Ethiopian Restaurant near my son's place in Chicago. He loves it, too. Curious to see what kinds of recipes post here, and learn about the special ingredients.

[Harborwitch]

Oh my!!! Jean and I did some Ethiopian cooking for a while. Injeera is to die for, Bob and I ate it as fast as I could make it. I will try to find some of the recipes.

If you really want to get amazed look for "The Soul of a New Cuisine" by Marcus Sameulsson. I actually have it to travel with us in the motorhome - I just have to find where Bob put my box of cookbooks . . .

Here we go Ethiopian Dinner

[cjs]

Oh, CubanGirl, Sharon, Cis and I had so much fun with
this dinner and I fell in love with Injeera.

I'm ready to do the whole dinner (as posted) again!!

[chef_Tab]

I would love to try Ethiopian food, but does anyone else see the ironics of stuffing your face with Ethiopian food?

[Harborwitch]

Uh?????? I must be slow on the uptake today.

[chef_Tab]

Aren't people starving in Ethiopia?

[labradors]

Sharon, Theresa was refering to the hunger in Ethiopia. I've always wondered about that when I hear about how wonderful some of the recipes sound.

For some recipes, take a look at the Congo Cookbook. They have recipes from all parts of Africa. One hint, though: from that page, do NOT click on the link for the country name thinking it will take you to a page with all the recipes together - it won't. Instead, the country-name links take you to a BBC "country profile" for each country. Instead, for the recipes, click on the individual recipe links beneath the country name.

[Harborwitch]

Sorry . . . in some areas they are. Ethiopia, Somalia, and some of the other areas over there are in dire straights - I certainly didn't mean to be "flip".

The amazing thing about the cuisine of Ethiopia is that it makes the most amazing food out of so little.

[Cubangirl]

I think because of this: (from Wiki)
Ethiopia, which has Africa's second biggest hydropower potential,[15] is the source of over 85% of the total Nile water flow and contains rich soils, but it nevertheless underwent a series of famines in the 1980s, exacerbated by adverse geopolitics and civil wars, resulting in perhaps a million deaths. Slowly, however, the country has begun to recover, and today Ethiopia has the biggest economy in East Africa (GDP) as the Ethiopian economy is also one of the fastest growing in the world and it is a regional powerhouse in the Horn and east Africa.The country remains politically fragile, with the opposition struggling for democracy and with reports of human rights abuses.

My daughter's first and most loved soccer coach was from Ethiopia (a close relative of the old king), he help me learn how to coach as well. This is the restaurant where I ate. We had Ayib Begomen as an appetizer. They said it was good, it was way too hot for me. For entrees we had: Addis Red Sea Special Combo: Doro Wot (very good), Doro Alcha (also good, but not as good as the wot), Lega Tibs (very good), Zenge (Exotic Beef Stew) (outstanding), House Salad and Gomen Wot (really good) and the vegetable combo which had lentil, (ok) garbanzo (ehnh), tomatoes (very good) and Gomen Wot.
I was going to try to make the berbere but I don't have fenugreek on hand, and the ready made mixture is so inexpensive here. I just hope it is not too hot for me. I may try a bit in a simple dish so I can gauge the heat, before I try the recipe posted.
Thanks for the injera recipe as well, it is the first I've seen with sugar in it. I read that you should save part of the mix and then use that instead of additional leavening for the next batch. I do that with my Artisan in Five bread and it really improves the flavor.
I have been trying to not buy new cookbooks, but may have to get Samuelson. I loved him in Top Chef Masters. Thanks again for the prompt response, this is going to be fun, I just wish I could do it now, not have to wait a month.