ETHIOPIA

Season 1 Episode 21

We looked at Uganda in our last episode and we’d be moving on to Ethiopia which is located at the horn of Africa and is surrounded by Somalia, Eritrea, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and Kenya. Their official language is Amharic and the capital city is Addis Ababa.

Let’s check out some of their cuisines and how these foods are been prepared.

INJERA (Main Dish)

This is a sourdough flatbread that is sponge-like and is mostly the foundation of lots of Ethiopian dishes. It is made from a local grain known as teff.

Ingredients

• 2 cups teff flour
• All-purpose flour
• 2 cups pure water
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• Vegetable oil
• 1/4 tsp salt, or more to taste

Directions

• 1. Pour the teff flour into a clean container and also add some all-purpose flour and mix
• 2. Add water to the mixture and stir it slowly to avoid the formation of lumps
• 3. Allow the flour batter to ferment by preserving it for a day or more. If the batter doesn’t start fermenting, you can add a teaspoon of yeast
• 4. Add salt and stir
• 5. Add some quantity of vegetable oil into a nonstick pan and allow it to heat.
• 6. Start adding the batter gently into the heated pan, the injera will begin to rise gently.
• 7. Keep it cooking till holes start appearing on the surface of the bread. Remove the bread once the surface appears dry.

SOUP

KIK ALICHA – Ehiopian Yellow Split Pea Stew

Kik alicha is a popular Ethiopian soup made from split pea and is simple to make.

Ingredients

• Dry split yellow peas
• Chopped onions
• Finely minced garlic
• Vegetable oil
• Pepper
• Salt
• Turmeric powder (kurkur/ata ile pupa) or Ginger
• Water

Directions

1. Soak the split peas overnight in water or soak it in warm water for a couple of hours
2. Pour vegetable oil in a pan; add chopped onions, minced garlic, pepper. Stir and apply heat.
3. Add the turmeric powder or ginger powder and mix it well
4. Add the soaked split peas into the pan, add salt and water
5. Lower the heat so the mixture can simmer for a period of 30-50 minutes or until the split peas soften to desire

Stay tuned till the next episode.

Edited by Ebenezer Oladokun