(ማስታወቂያ)
Ethiopia is a country of more than 90 ethnic groups, and each ethnicity has a cuisine of its own. For example, Fosese is a dearly loved cuisine of the Gamo people in southern Ethiopia, Tihlo is Tigray people’s delicious meal; the Sidamo people have Bursame; and so on. But, there are certain meals that you can be sure to find in almost every corner of the country, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Vegetarian dishes in Ethiopia are made primarily considering the Ethiopian Orthodox Church’s fasting regulations; which dictate that no animal or animal product shall be consumed during fasting seasons.
This is so widely the case that it is even reflected in the way we communicate our orders with waitrons in hotels. To give our orders, we would first ask the server “What fasting/non-fasting meals do you have?”, then they’d tell us the list of meals they are serving. The hotel's menus are also generally categorized in that manner. This also means that most meals can be made non-fasting by simply adding seasoned and purified butter (ንጥር ቂቤ - nittir kibbe). An essential component of Ethiopian cuisine, nittir kibbe, is created by clarifying butter that has been flavored with herbs and spices. The butterfat is separated from the milk solids and water during the clarifying process, which is also used to make ghee, to produce a highly fragrant and tasty cooking fat. It is known for its amazing aroma and delicious taste. Ethiopian vegetarian recipes are simple, affordable, and easily available anywhere in the world, and some can even be prepared at home with ease. Ethiopian non-vegetarian, as well as vegetarian dishes (non-fasting and fasting meals, as we call them), are proven to be very healthy and very nutritious. Let’s look at the top 10 non-vegetarian Ethiopian meals that are popular in the country.
The main ingredient in the chickpea-flour sauce is chickpea-flour (ሽሮ - Shiro). To prepare this ingredient, Ethiopian moms use the following: - Rare roasted and split chickpeas (ተቆልቶ የተከካ አተር - “Ater Kik”), - Fringed rue (ጤና አዳም - Tena Adam), - 8 to 10 Cardamom (ኮረሪማ - Korerima) for 3Kg Chickpeas, and - Sacred basil (Beso-bla - በሶ ብላ). These are put together and ground together at the millhouse. Shiro wot is without a doubt the most popular dish in Ethiopia. It is delicious, fast to cook, requires simple ingredients that are affordable for most people, and can be made for as many people as needed. The three main ingredients of Shiro-wot are chickpea flour, vegetable oil, and onion. Depending on the style and preference of the cook, other ingredients like tomatoes and/or garlic can be added. Shiro wot can be made spicy by adding spiced red pepper powder (Berbere - በርበሬ) (most people prefer this). If you are not into spicy food, you can use turmeric in place of the red-pepper powder.
If you ask any Ethiopian what their favorite fasting time dish is, I am almost certain that at least 50 percent will respond by saying Misir wot. In Ethiopia, a dish known as "Beye aynet"—(Meaning - Every Kind) consists of 4 to 12 or more different sauces and stews served on Injera. The sauces are typically put in a circular arrangement with one sauce in the middle, like a king of all sauces, and that sauce is, you nailed it, Misir wot. As the name suggests, the primary ingredient in this dish is red lentils. Red lentil (ምስር - Misir) is an abundantly available crop in Ethiopia, and it is also one of the country’s export crops. Just like Shiro wot, Misir wot can be made to be a bit spicy using Berbere (spiced red pepper powder), or non-spicy using turmeric. Most people prefer the former.
Undoubtedly loved by everyone, Injera Firfir, or just Firfir is a meal that is often consumed for breakfast by Ethiopians. This delicious meal is made using injera as its primary ingredient and can be eaten using either injera or bread. Children eat it without both. To make Injera Firifir, cold injera of the necessary amount is cut into pieces and mixed with a hot mix of well-cooked. - Onion, - Vegetable oil - Spiced red pepper flour (Berbere) for spicy result or Turmeric for non-spicy - Table salt - Garlic (Optional) - Tomato (Optional) When mixing the injera, it is best to be cautious so as not to overdo it and end up making dough. Hahaha... That happened to me once!
Tegabino is Shiro wot, but thicker and tastier. Somewhat not frequented as much as Shiro wot for requiring a little bit more time, chickpea flour, and vegetable oil, Tegabino is a tasty Ethiopian sauce that is cooked using the same ingredients as Shiro wot. It is typically served hot and still boiling in its signature small terracotta pot.
Every social event in Ethiopia, especially ones that happen during fasting seasons will serve Ater kik wot, as their main dish, and everyone loves it.
Related articles - Top 5 Ethiopian condiments that everyone loves: Ethiopian food - Bake injera the great Ethiopian way: Recipes and steps - Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony - How it is performed And Materials Used - How to cook Fosese, a traditional meal of the Gamo people in Ethiopia
