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Spicy Food from the Cradle of Civilization

Ethiopian food is the ultimate in spicy cookery, not only because the food is hot, but also because of the abundance of spices used...

ETHIOPIA:

As with its cuisine, landlocked Ethiopia lies somewhat separate from its Mother Africa. Its main borders with Kenya, Somalia, and Sudan can be easily drawn along an encircling rim of high mountain peaks — some of them reaching over 15,000 feet. Transportation is difficult in this terrain, which is why Ethiopia has maintained its purity — relatively uninfluenced by neighboring countries and their invasions over the centuries.

Since the 1400's, traders have introduced some non-indigenous ingredients that have added to what we now know of as authentic Ethiopian cuisine. From Portugal came chile peppers, and from the Orient — ginger. India played a part in North African trade as well, introducing exotic spices. However, gastronomic influences are not altogether obvious in Ethiopian cuisine because it is so different from all others.

Almost half of Ethiopia's population are Christians, who live in Northern Ethiopia. In the south Muslim factions predominate. Vegetarian dishes are not only a must for the Muslims, but are also popular among Ethiopia's Christian population, who respect nearly 200 fasting days a year (chicken, meat, and dairy products are not allowed).

Most of Ethiopia lies between 7,000 and 10,000 feet in elevation on a high tableland of mountains and plateaus. Ethiopians support themselves primarily through agriculture — although of a subsistence nature. Some cattle and sheep are raised. Although the soil is fertile, farming practices are primitive and some areas remain barren.

Coffee is Ethiopia's main commodity — a commodity Ethiopia claims originated in the highlands of Kaffa in Southwestern Ethiopia.

Oh, Ethiopia, the land of bread and honey! Grains including sorghum, millet, teff, and wheat grow well in the temperate climate. And honey, collected by ancient beekeeping techniques, is used in everyday meals. Ethiopian food is the ultimate in "living off of the land."

What to Eat

Although complex in nature, Ethiopian cuisine is simple to prepare. Many of the traditional dishes are stews — one-pot-meals, if you wish. Home cooks can easily prepare the basic dishes of Ethiopia and are highly encouraged to do so. When you begin your culinary exploration, you will treasure what this unique, earthy cuisine reveals.

A necessary element of Ethiopian cooking is called berbere. It is a red paste made up of a multitude of spices and herbs. Berbere must be prepared before venturing into the world of Ethiopian cuisine — or it would be like trying to make chili without chili powder, or stock without bouquet garni. Berbere is an essential ingredient.

Another important ingredient is butter — but butter that has been flavored with onions, garlic, ginger, and spices. When this prepared butter, called niter kebbeh, melts in your pan, it transports you to a land far away. You will wonder how Ethiopia has kept niter kebbeh a secret from the culinary world!

Wat is the traditional Ethiopian dish. Wat means stew. Wat can be prepared with chicken (doro) or beef (sik sik). It can also be vegetarian or even contain fish. It is a rich red stew stained by paprika that is fiery hot. Chicken wat also contains hard boiled eggs which impart the powerful wat color and flavors.

Traditional bread, called injera, is used in place of utensils. Injera is a thin but spongy flatbread as large as a tabletop. It is made from locally grown teff — the smallest grain in existence. Ground teff is mixed with water and allowed to ferment, then cooked as you would pancake batter over flat clay griddles.

Legumes form an integral part of the vegetarian meal. Common legumes include lentils and chick peas. The cooked legumes can be eaten as salads, seasoned with chilies and ginger. Or dried legumes can be ground into flour and used as the base of vegetarian fritters.

Ethiopian drinks are made from local ingredients. Tej is an ancient honey-based wine that often initiates a meal — almost as an aperitif. Talla is a beer made from local grain that often accompanies a snack of nuts or crackers. And, of course, coffee finishes off a traditional meal, sweetened with honey.

Menu Guide

Alecha: Stew, either chicken or beef, but not hot and spicy stew

Berbere: Thick, red paste composed of paprika, salt, ginger, onion, garlic, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, allspice, pepper, coriander, and fenugreek blended by water and oil.

Doro Wat: Chicken stew

Fenugreek: Little brown seeds that are ground into tan powder for spice seasoning

Injera: Thin, spongy pancake-like flatbread made from teff flour used to scoop up and wrap food in place of utensils

Niter Kebbeh: Spicy butter made from sauteeing onion, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, cardamom, clove, and nutmeg in butter

Shiro Wat: Vegetable stew popular during religious fastings

Sik Sik Wat: Beef stew

Teff: Ancient grain of Ethiopia available in whole-grain form as well as ground (teff flour) in health food stores

Wat: Essentially means stew — typically made from base of berbere paste so it is hot and dense with spices.

ETHIOPIAN RECIPES

Chicken Stewed in Red Pepper Paste (Doro Wat)

Eggplant Salad

Spiced Butter (Niter Kebbeh)

Beef Stewed in Red Pepper Paste (Sik Sik Wat)

Chick Pea Fritters (Yeshimbra Assa)

Lentil Salad (Yemiser Selatta)

Vegetables with Garlic and Ginger (Yataklete Kilkil)

Honey Yeast Bread (Yemarina Yewotet Dabo)

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