Elite life
Ethiopia (Ethiopian Recipes)
Essential components of Ethiopian cooking are injera bread, berbere, a spicy red pepper paste, and niter kibbeh, a spice-infused clarified butter. Most foods have a stewy consistency. Alicha indicates a mild stew. Wats are stews with the spicy flavor of berbere. An essential spice in Ethiopian cooking is fenugreek. This hard seed gives a unique flavor to Ethiopian food. Desserts are not really served in Ethiopia, but iab, like a mixture of cottage cheese and yogurt, is traditionally the final course of a meal.
Before every meal in Ethiopia, there is a ritual washing of the hands. The meal is then served on a large platter that is draped with crepe-like injera bread. All guests eat from this one platter. Various dishes are portioned out onto the injera, and diners simply tear off a piece of the bread, use it to scoop up some of the various stews and pop it in their mouths. Extra injera bread may be served on the side. Honey wine, beer or telba, a flaxseed drink, are served as beverages. Another handwashing ends the meal, and strong coffee is served.
Ingredients:
1 head cabbage, cut into eighths
1/4 lb butter
2 large onion, sliced
1 tablespoon curry powder
5 carrot, cut into 1/2inch pieces
1 1/2 lbs potato, cut into inch pieces
1/2 head cauliflower, break into flowerettes
Cooking Instructions:
Boil the cabbage until softened. Fry onions in butter until translucent. Add curry powder - cook for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup water to the onion mixture, cook for 5 minutes add carrots and potatoes and cook 15 minutes add cauliflower, cook 5 minutes add cabbage, cook for 15 minutes. Serve.
Ingredients:
3-4 ounces cooking oil
2 lbs chicken breast, in one-inch cubes
2 large onion, chopped
4 garlic clove, chopped
4 tablespoons berbere, pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tomato, chopped
1 cup chicken stock or cubes
1/2 lemon, zest of, grated
Salt
Pepper
Fresh cilantro stem (coriander)
Cooking Instructions:
Brown the chicken thoroughly on high heat in a skillet in some of the fat. Set aside. Don't put too much meat into the skillet at once, or they won't brown. Fry the onion and garlic in additional fat in a pot on medium heat until it is transparent. Add berbere pepper and tomato paste and more fat if necessary in order not to burn the berbere. Stir for a moment, then add chicken, tomatoes, stock and lemon peel. Let simmer, covered, until the chicken is tender but not over-cooked (15-20 min). Add salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with cilantro stems and serve immediately with rice or on flat bread.
Ingredients:
16 chicken wings, split and tips discarded
1 onion, chopped
2/3 cup soy sauce (mild or low-sodium)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
Cooking Instructions:
Place chicken wings and onion in a soup pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). While the wings are cooking, combine the soy sauce, cinnamon, cloves and ginger in a saucepan, and warm over medium heat. When chicken is done, drain water (may be reserved for other uses as a broth), and pour in the soy sauce mixture. Stir to coat all of the wings, then place them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the outsides are crispy. Baste with sauce as desired while cooking. Hint: Bake on parchment paper or non-stick foil to keep the wings from sticking and to make clean-up easy. The side of the wing facing the baking sheet will get the crispiest.
Ingredients:
2 cups ground red chili pepper
5 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons ground ginger
2 tablespoons ground cloves
2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground fenugreek
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
Cooking Instructions:
Combine all ingredients. Mix thoroughly. Store mixture in an airtight container.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarmm water
3 tablespoons egg white
1/3 cup local honey
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup lukewarm low-fat milk
6 tablespoons melted margarine
5 cups white whole wheat flour
Cooking Instructions:
In smal1l bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water. Let stand 3 minutes, then stir to dissolve. Set in warm place 5 minutes; should double in volume. If it doesn't, repeat procedure. Combine egg whites, honey, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in deep bowl, mixing until smooth. Add yeast mixture, milk, and 5 tablespoons melted margarine. Beat until well blended. Stir in 4-4 1/2 c flour (1/2 cup at a time), until it is too stiff to stir. (You may not need all ofthe flour). On lightly floured board, knead dough. Add remaining flour as necessary to prevent sticking. Knead 5 minutes. Place in large, greased bowl. Cover with damp cloth and let sit in warm place for 90 minutes. Grease baking sheet with 1 tablespoon margarine. Punch down dough and knead again for 3 minutes. Shape into a round, and place on baking sheet. Preheat oven to 325°F. Let rise 10 minutes while oven preheats. Bake 1 hour until top is crusty and light golden brown.
Ingredients:
3 skinless chicken breasts, split
1 lime, quartered
8 cups water
1 tablespoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons minced ginger
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 plump clove, minced
1 tablespoon cayenne, plus
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 lbs red onion, finely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter
1-1 1/2 cup chicken stock
Kosher salt
4-6 hard-boiled egg, peeled and sliced
Cooked rice, for serving
Plain yogurt, for serving
Cooking Instructions:
Place split chicken breasts in a large bowl; add lime and water. Let stand while you prepare sauce. Combine allspice, ginger, pepper and garlic in a mortar and mash to a paste with a pestle or grind in a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Add cayenne, cardamom and cloves and mix again set aside. Heat a large, deep sauté pan or casserole over medium heat. Without using any fat, add onions and stir constantly until some moisture has been released. Cook, stirring often, until onions are soft and somewhat golden, 30 to 40 minutes. If the skillet gets too dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons butter. This process is slow, but eventually, onions will take on a golden color. Add remaining butter and spice paste and stir constantly until butter melts. Keep stirring over medium heat to release flavor of seasonings, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup chicken stock and cook for 3 minutes. Remove chicken pieces from water, shake them dry, and push them into onion mixture. Cover and cook over medium low heat for 7 minutes. Remove cover, stir in another 1/2 cup chicken stock and cook, uncovered, until chicken is tender, about 35 minutes. Add more stock if sauce gets too dry. (It should be creamy-saucy, not thin and runny). Sprinkle sauce with salt and more pepper to taste. Carefully stir in eggs, without breaking them up too much or tearing chicken off bone. Carefully spoon chicken, sauce and some egg onto heated plates. Serves.
Ingredients:
1 (3 lb) roasting chicken, cut into pieces, rinsed and patted dry
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 large onion, sliced
4 garlic clove, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1/4 cup berbere
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons lime juice
4 hard-boiled egg, sliced for garnish
Cooking Instructions:
Heat oil in a pan and brown the chicken. When all pieces are light brown, remove chicken. In the same pan, without removing the oil, add butter, onion, ginger and garlic; cook until golden brown. Add berbere and saute the mixture over low heat until it browns. Add chicken stock and lime juice, simmer 3-4 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, cover, and simmer slowly for 30 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time. Transfer the stew to a platter, garnish with eggs, and serve with injera or pita bread.
Ingredients:
1/2 lb. dried lentils
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
Black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapenos, stemmed, seeded, minced
Cooking Instructions:
Rinse the lentils under running water in a sieve. Then drop them into boiling water—enough to cover by 2". Simmer the lentils for 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Drain thoroughly and set aside. Combine the vinegar, oil, salt, and black pepper in a deep bowl. Mix well. Add the lentils, garlic, and jalapeños, and toss gently. Let sit for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Ingredients:
6 small red potatoes, scrubbed
3 lg. carrots, scrubbed, cut into pieces
1/2 lb. fresh green beans, cut into 2" lengths
1/4 cup oil
2 onions, coarsely chopped
1 lg. green pepper, finely chopped
2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger root
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
6 green onions, cut into 2 inch lengths
Cooking Instructions:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop in the potatoes. After 5-6 minutes, add the carrots and green beans and cook for another 5 minutes. Drain in a colander. Set aside. In a stewpot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, green pepper, and jalapeños. sauté for about 5 minutes. Do not let brown. Then stir in the garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper. Stir for one minute. Add the reserved vegetables and toss gently until coated. Sprinkle on the green onions. Cover the pot and cook over low heat for about 10 minutes. Vegetables should be tender-crisp.
Ingredients:
2 eggplants, peeled, diced
Salt
Pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cup cooked black-eyed peas
2 teaspoons sugar
Cooking Instructions:
Place the diced eggplant in a bowl. Mix the salt and lemon juice together and pour over the eggplants. Let sit for 30 minutes. Sprinkle on the oil and toss well. Gently stir in the garlic, beans, and sugar. Season with black pepper.
Servings: 8
Ingredients:
2 lbs. of lamb (from leg)
1 cup of chopped onoions
Cooking Instructions:
The lamb is cut in 1/2 inch cubes, the water is not added, and the lamb is sauteed on all sides until quite dry and well done.
Servings: 6-10
Ingredients:
1 lb lentils
6 cups water or vegetable broth
6 cups mild green chili, roasted peeled, seeded and chopped
2 red onion, chopped
2 garlic clove, minced (or more)
Fresh ground black pepper
Berebere Spice Mix (use 2 tablespoons):
2 teaspoons cumin seed or powdered cumin
1 teaspoon cardamom seed (shell off husks) or cardamom powder
1/2 teaspoon whole allspice or ground
1teaspoon fenugreek seeds or powder
1 teaspoon coriander seed or powder
8 whole cloves or ground cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns or freshly ground peppercorn
5 teaspoons red pepper flakes or crumbled dried red pepper
1 tablespoon grated fresh gingerroot or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sweet paprika (can use hot)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Cooking Instructions:
Lentils: Bring lentils and broth to boil and simmer 10 minutes. Add chiles, onion, garlic, and Berebere spices. Cook covered for another 30 minutes, until most of liquid is absorbed. Serve with ground black pepper to taste. For a vegetarian meal, these lentils are good with a dollop of yogurt, brown rice and sliced tomatoes.
Berebere Spice Mix: Toast all the seeds and whole cloves in a small frying pan for 2 minutes, stirring constantly (open window or turn on the stove vent--it can smoke). Grind the spices in a spice grinder. If you are using pre-ground spices, ignore and go on to the next step. Mix all remaining ingredients. Place in a tightly covered container and refrigerate. This mixture can used with many combinations of legumes, rice or vegetables.
There are two ways to make this berebere spice mix - with whole spices that you grind, or with powdered versions of the spices. The first way gives you a more powerful flavor, but it may be more practical the second way, particularly if you don't have a spice grinder.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup red lentil
2 large onion
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups water
Cooking Instructions:
Sort the lentils picking out ant grit or stones and soak in tap water for 30 minutes. Rinse in running water and drain. Peel and finely chop the onions. peel and mash the garlic. Heat the oil in large pan and saute the onion until golden. Add tomato paste and paprika and mix. Add half the water and the garlic,ginger pepper and salt. Stir well and then add the rest of the water, stir again, cover and bring to boil. When the water boil, add the lentils, lower the flame and cook 20-30 minutes, until the lentils soften.
Ingredients:
2 onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup spice butter
2 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon finely chopped gingerroot
1/4 teaspoon ground fenugreek
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons berbere (spice paste)
2/3 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup water
8 ounces tomato sauce
2 teaspoons salt
3 lbs boneless lean beef, cut into 1-inch pieces
Black pepper
Cooking Instructions:
In a large stewpot, cook the onions over moderate heat for about 5 minutes, or until they are soft and dry. Do not let brown or burn. Stir in the niter kebbeh. When it heats up, add the garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg. Stir well. Add the paprika and berbere, and stir for 3 minutes. Add the wine, water, tomato sauce, and salt, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the beef and turn the pieces around in the sauce to coat. Cover the pot and simmer the beef for about 1 hour over low heat. Season with black pepper.
Ingredients:
1 package Ahmed brand vermicelli
1 gallon fresh whole milk
1 cup sugar
20 cloves whole cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 cup slivered almond, cashews and pistachios
1/2 cup fresh cream
1/2 teaspoon saffron strand
3 tablespoons charoli nuts
1/2 cup light brown raisins
1/2 teaspoon rose water
1 tablespoon butter
Cooking Instructions:
Fry the vermicelli in the butter until well browned but not burnt. Fry on low heat until all the butter is dried. Add in 1/4 cup sugar and fry again. Add in the whole milk cup by cup, stirring constantly, and bring to boil. Add in the raisins, whole cardamon, and 1/2 cup slivered almonds, cashews and pistachioes, and the remaining sugar. Reduce the heat and thicken the Sheer Korma to three-strand consistency, letting the milk boil until it is halved. The vermicilli must be very soft by now. Quikly add in the rose water, charoli and fresh cream and let simmer covered for 10 mins. Garnish with the saffron strands and powdered cardamom, and serve immediately. This special dish is served on the morning of Eid day to all the household, after the Eid prayer, as breakfast, and throughout the day to every guest that visits you.
