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Cuisine
Ethiopian cuisine is like its people:
diverse, colorful, flavorful, and complex. It is a fusion of
delicious and exotic meals from the different regions and ethnic
groups, reflecting the country's long history of independence and
rich diversity. It is nourishing and delicious, and gives one a very
distinct and unforgettable dining experience. Traditionally,
Ethiopian food is served on a big platter or basket with the injera
(a flat sour dough crepe)
as a base and the various sauces and vegetable dishes scooped out on
it in a very colorful way. Additional injera would be served
on the side. People would normally eat communally from the same
plate. You would tear a piece of injera, and using the fingers
scoop the sauce, wrap it and enjoy.
The most important aspect of
Ethiopian cooking is preparing the basic ingredients that bring any
vegetarian or meat dish alive with bursting flavor, aroma and
delectable taste. There are two basic types stews 'wat' and 'alicha'
representing two distinct levels of spiciness. Other dishes include
sautéed, baked, boiled, fermented, bean paste, or bean salad,
roasted grains and beans (mainly used as snacks) to mention just a
few.
In Ethiopia,
traditional cooking utensils (from coffee pots to huge brassier type
pots), are made of clay. Such utensils enhance the flavor of
the food as well as make it more natural and healthy. Bread is also
baked not in an oven but in a big clay baking pan where the dough
will be covered in layers of banana leaves, covered with a huge iron
skillet, sealed around with mud and baked using wood fire in the
bottom and on the top cover.
Some useful terms to know:
Alicha: meat or bean stew made with caramelized onion
seasoned with garlic, ginger and turmeric.
Berbere: A chili blend prepared with herbs such as basil,
savory, ginger, garlic, shallots, fenugreek, cardamom, etc. and
finely ground into powder. This ingredient is the most
important ingredient in Ethiopian cooking.
Fitfit/Giflfil: pieces of injera
mixed with any type of sauce
Kikil: meat or vegetable boiled with
just water or seasoned with onion, garlic and ginger
Kitfo: finely chopped meat seasoned
with mitmita (seasoned cayenne pepper) and clarified butter
Lebleb: lightly cooked. e.g. 'kitfo
lebleb' means kitfo rare
Lega tibs: tender beef or lamb
sautéed medium rare
Merek: broth
Nitir Kibe: Clarified butter seasoned
with herbs and used for cooking and seasoning 'kitfo' (Ethiopian meat
tartar)
Quanta: beef or fish jerky
Tibs: beef,
lamb, chicken or fish sautéed and/or pan fried with or without
onion, jalapeno pepper and other seasonings made juicy or dry
according to the individual's preference
Wat: a thick
saucy meat or bean stew made with a special chili blend called 'Berbere'
and finely chopped shallots/onions.
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