Why Ethiopia? Coincidentally, congratulations to Prime Minister Ably Ahmed Ali for winning the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize that was announced this past Friday “for his efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation, and in particular for his decisive initiative to resolve the border conflict with neighbouring Eritrea.” (as described in The Nobel Peace Prize press release)
On a personal level, I have my own reasons for choosing Ethiopia this weekend. Ethiopia is a free country having never been colonized, thus there is no “Independence Day” to celebrate. So, I asked myself “when am I going to bake Ethiopia”? This weekend was as good as any.
My Ethiopia inspiration came several years ago when my husband and I attended a Banff film festival. Having no connection with Ethiopia, I was taken aback and became interested in the country when we saw a short 25-minute documentary about the physician, Rick Hodes, who moved to Ethiopia to help the sick and diseased. There is a book and movie about his professional life, but it was this short documentary that caught my attention. Entitled “Making the Crooked Straight”, the documentary revealed that this incredible man, in addition to treating the sick, adopted the legal limit of 5 children in Ethiopia so he could support their healthcare and provide them with opportunities for a successful future.
His story, in fact, inspired me and my husband to research closely the Peace Corps and attend a detailed informational meeting. We were at a crossroads at that time in our lives and that idea really spoke to us. Granted, we ended up following a different path due to an unexpected opportunity, but Dr. Hodes’ story triggered self-reflection and discussion about what we wanted out of life and how we could give back and help others in a meaningful way based on our experience and expertise (which was the key to this desire). We have since put systems in place to do that very thing. Thank you, Dr. Hodes, for the life you lead.
A little history? Ethiopia is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa known to be the country of the first people. It is diverse with cultural influence from surrounding countries having hosted many refugees over the years. Agriculture and cattle raising represent the majority of Ethiopia’s life blood and it produces common staple grains like teff (used in making the country’s specialty bread, injera) and coffee, its biggest export. Ethiopia uses a variety of spices in its cuisine like those in India. We can thank trade between the Middle East, Asia, and the Mediterranean for enriching Ethiopia with such flavorful cuisine.
Why the chosen dishes? Majority of Ethiopians are Orthodox Christians, Jews, or Muslims and thus exclude animal and dairy product consumption during different fasting periods. Consequently, Ethiopian cuisine includes many vegetarian and vegan dishes. If you are vegetarian or vegan, you can certainly be well fed in most restaurants or homes. If you crave meat, there are plenty of dishes to satisfy your needs as well.
A couple of years ago, the international school where I was teaching had an African celebration luncheon. It was the first time I tried injera (the Ethiopian sponge bread that resembles a pancake). As an avid baker who dabbles in all sorts of bread, I was fascinated by the texture and taste and knew I had to give it a go some day.
When I decided on baking Ethiopia, I had to plan a week in advance. Injera is a 5-day bread making process IF you choose to make it authentically using the naturally fermented yeast that the teff flour and water create. So, I had to prepare well ahead of time to plan the bake for this country.
In my research of Ethiopian cuisine, I decided a good representation of the country’s people and cuisine would be a meal of Yetsom Beyaynetu (vegetarian combination platter), hence the dishes you see in the first photo.
We’ll start with the bread…
What is injera? Injera is a sourdough flatbread that has been eaten pretty much at every Ethiopian meal for centuries. It serves as a plate on which food is served communal style. It is the utensil needed to scoop the food. In fact, it makes a great edible napkin on which to leave the yummy food residue left on your fingers.
**Etiquette note** never lick your fingers during a communal meal; it’s gross and repulsive!!
While the traditional authentic recipe is as simple as it can be (100% teff flour and water), it is the most complex bread I have ever made. Btw- I make at least 2 loaves of bread a week and have been for many years including all sorts of yeast breads. This was a challenge I did NOT master.
The injera process… Day 1 of 5 began the process… a simple mixture of teff flour and water. There are many recipes available that use a combination of flours with baking soda, a little salt and even commercial yeast to decrease the fermentation time. I decided to go all in (as authentic as possible) needless to say, my kitchen smelled a bit sour during the last 3 days of fermentation. But it was worth it. Thanks to the Daring Gourmet for the recipe.
Final comments on the injera… I followed the recipe linked above. Since I have never made naturally occurring yeast, I was VERY skeptical of the “mold” and sour smell. In fact, I was tempted to throw it out on day 4; however, after reading online that that was normal, I decided to move forward with what I had. I don’t know if I will make it again, but it was a very interesting experience. My husband and I decided that the injera was an appropriate bread for the dishes that accompanied it. The simple sour bread was a great vehicle for eating such flavorful food. It really worked and I totally understand its purpose in Ethiopian cuisine.
What did NOT work for me…
- I could not get the bubbles to stay popped as the batter cooked. They closed during the heating process. I tried making both pancake thick and crepe thin injera as well as raising and lowering the temperature, but I just didn’t get it right. I read that even some native Ethiopians have difficulty cooking it correctly. I also read that other recipes (that use commercial yeast and baking soda) might be a little easier, but I was adamant about authenticity on this one.
The 5 accompanying dishes…
Both the Kik Alicha and Miser Wat recipes were simple and are linked to their titles. The yellow in the split pea stew is a result of the turmeric. The red coloring in the red lentils is from the homemade Berbere spice I made since I couldn’t locate it in my grocery store. It can be bought online, but I had most of the ingredients to make my own, so why not. Here’s the Berbere spice recipe I used. You can use seeds and/or ground spices depending on what you have on hand or can locate. For the seeds I have in that form, I simply toasted them and put them in my pepper mill to grind them; it worked well.
What I would do differently… Both recipes turned out great. I wouldn’t do anything differently. I added more paprika to the red lentils as they were cooking in order to get a deeper red color, and I added salt to taste for both dishes. We enjoyed them and it was so gratifying for me, “the chef”, to include a homemade element, the Berbere spice blend.
Shiro Wat (recipe linked to the title) is a creamy dish made primarily with pureed onion, tomato, oil, chickpea flour and Berbere spice with the ever so important Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian spiced clarified butter). This dish has lots of Berbere spice for heat. It is an iconic dish and is almost always part of the vegetarian platter. I made my own Ethiopian Spiced Clarified Butter (recipe is linked to the title) so I could, again, create a dish as authentic as I could make it (pictures below).
Gomen (recipe linked to the title) refers to the sauteed collard greens cooked with onion and garlic. This is a very simple greens dish seasoned with salt.
Key Sire Alicha (recipe linked to the title) is a simple stew containing beets, potatoes, and carrots seasoned with turmeric, garlic, onion, vinegar, and salt to taste. The veggies cook in a little water to soften. The flavor is simple. The turmeric and vegetable combination differentiates this vegetable dish from stewed vegetable dishes found in other countries.
Final comments on the accompanying dishes… We were pleasantly surprised at how all the dishes, including the injera, came together to create such a cohesive meal. What you see in the final presentation picture at the beginning of the post is exactly how it was served and eaten, a communal plate. We used the rolled injera to scoop up the food (no utensils). What was interesting about the dishes together was the variety; you have the rich satisfying grain dishes along with the simple natural tasting vegetables that added freshness to the meal. It was indeed a complete, filling meal.
My takeaway for Ethiopia… During this adventure in Ethiopia, we came to understand and appreciate togetherness in the sense that when you share a meal, truly share a meal by eating from the same plate, you connect in a way that you never can when your head is looking down at your own. Communal eating almost forces you to look at one another, pay attention to others’ movements, and ultimately encourages discussion due to the intimate environment. I, for one, think the Ethiopians have it figured out. I mean, maybe communal eating is a way to communicate with your kids around the dinner table; wouldn’t hurt to try. Ethiopia… hmmm… an always liberated country, unity in pride (which has kept them liberated), recently acquired Nobel Peace Prize, and the people’s love for diversity in languages and cultures. Something to ponder…
Thanks for reading! Please leave a comment, like, or consider following my blog as I continue to move through the world and learn more about cuisine and culture. Check back this Friday for a clue to where my next adventure will take us!