Top 5 items to order at an Ethiopian Restaurant
Ethiopian cuisine is very different from what we are used to. Marked by its unique flavors, African food — and especially that of this country — is based on typical regional foods and recipes that have been improved over the centuries. The gastronomic experience in the region is not limited to its flavors. Let’s have a tour of 5 types of Ethiopian food:
- Injera
If we want to understand what injera is without knowing it, we could say that it is a bread similar to a crepe or an omelet. One of the special characteristics of this very fine flatbread is the flour with which it is made. It is the fermented teff flour. This is an edible plant similar to cereals that are typical of Ethiopia. The way of cooking is also special about injera. Fermented teff flour is cooked on a traditional round ceramic plate from this area of Africa. The injera is more typical if it is made on this plate and kept warm on burning wood. Remember that the different Ethiopian stews are put on this bread.
2. Tibs
The typical food of Ethiopia is an avalanche of delicious flavors that make the palate jump in taste. We already talked to you about Ethiopian stews, now we will talk about their stir-fries. And it is that the tibs are a dish where sautéed meat and a little salad are the protagonists. The most striking thing about the tibs for tourists is the container in which it is served. It is a traditional dish that, being hot, seeks to preserve the temperature of the meat. This dish is so old and typical of this culture that it has been described since the seventeenth century in European travel chronicles. Today, as well as four centuries ago, the tibs are served to those who want to show respect or special treatment.
3. Kifto
Do you like tartar? You will surely love the Kifto. It is a marinated meat tartare that is served hot. The meats used can be beef, beef, or veal. This last meat is the most desired when ordering the kifto. Now, the marination of the dish is usually done with Mitmita, a spice widely used in Ethiopia. What will you have on the table? A spicy dish that is served with Ayib, a soft local cheese. Besides the meat and cheese, you have a bit of gomen: cooked leafy greens, especially chard and kale seasoned with garlic. It is delicious! In the cities, this plan is eaten with the traditional injera, but if you are in the rural area, try it with kocho, a thicker bread made with flour from a banana plant.
4. Beyainatu
Under this name hides the simple concept of: “a bit of everything”! Beyainatu is the dish to order if you want to try everything on the restaurant menu. So it makes a hearty and convivial dish, ideal to share with several. Beyainatu is generally only for vegetarian dishes. We then find, on the injera, an assortment of vegetables: carrots, cabbage, spinach, lentils, chickpeas, green beans, beets, onions, rice, potatoes, and even fries, with spices, and cooked under different forms: simmered in wat, boiled, grilled, in soup, raw.
5. Asa
Ethiopians like to eat fish & Asa means fish. Asa Goulash, But isn’t goulash Hungarian? Yes, it is. But Asa goulash is a typical Ethiopian dish. This dish is common in towns that have access to a port where they get good fish. The fish used is white and small. The seasoning is given with onion and tomato. It is fried fish accompanied by the sauce. You will feel the taste of salt, garlic, chili, and turmeric. You will come across a spicy fish dish. The most used spice in this recipe is berbere, a mixture of different spices: cloves, ginger, chilli, rue, pepper, coriander. So you can imagine the explosion of flavors that your mouth will go through.
