My Love for Ethiopian Food

Today I would like to talk about what has quite possibly become my favorite cuisine as of late. The picture above depicts this - Ethiopian food. Not many people are aware about what a wonder this cuisine is - I certainly wasn't. So hopefully this blog post introduces many more people to this wonderful food and encourages them to try it out. You will certainly not be disappointed :-)



Mesob

 Firstly, I would like to start by mentioning that this is a very very good option for vegetarians, although non-vegetarians certainly won't go hungry. Plus the food is essentially quite healthy! Ethiopian cuisine is traditionally served on something called as a mesob, which is woven from straw. The lid of the mesob is opened and is used for holding the plate.

Which brings us to the next thing about this cusine - the plate. Ethiopian food is served on a simple steel plate but placed on top of the plate to hold the food is something called as an injera which is a yeast-risen sourdough flatbread (similar to the Indian 'dosa' but much more tangy). The injera is made from a special grain called 'teff'. The teff flour is allowed to ferment for several days! That gives it it's unique sour and tangy taste. The injera serves as an excellent base for the food as it has a spongy texture and holds all the liquids in place. The idea is to break off pieces of the injera and use it to scoop the entrées off the plate. Thus the injera serves a dual purpose :-) There are also separate rolled up injeras provided in case you need more (which you will).

The main courses in an Ethiopian cuisine are mainly made out of various grains, lots of spices, and different types of stews called Wats. They also have something called as a Vegetarian Fish which are chickpea balls in a spicy sauce. This is another heavenly dish that I love. There is also an Ethiopian appetizer called Sambusa which is quite similar to the Indian samosa. The most popular (and my favorite) curry is something called as Berbere which is a combination of chilli peppers and various other spices. Berbere is essentially used as a base for some of their entrées. Their side dishes consist of everything from spinach to dals to lentils to chickpeas and even cheese. Each one of them more delicious than the previous!

And now the most surprising factor. Ethiopian food is usually eaten in a single plate! And by hand! This is pretty much the only place where I have seen folks pull up their sleeves and dig into the food, by hand, along with their friends, all in the same plate. But you are more than welcome to ask for a spoon and separate plates too if that's what you desire :)

Ethiopian coffee is another speciality and a must have. It is served in this special coffee pot made out of clay.The people of Ethiopia also follow a coffee tradition and this is enacted in one of the Ethiopian restaurants in Chicago. Basically if anyone orders coffee at any table, the servers bring out a fresh pot of coffee and move it from table to table allowing everyone to smell the aroma. This is an invitation that states that we have brewed coffee and you are all invited. And after this, they serve free coffee to each and every table in the restaurant! Pretty cool!

Another speciality of Ethiopian cuisine is a honey wine called Tej. Tej is usually homemade and is essentially a mix between honey, wine, and beer (due to it's hops-like taste). This is another must-have just for tradition :)

And at the end of this, I would like to make a brief mention about the best Ethiopian restaurant that I have been to in Chicago. It's this seemingly nondescript restaurant called Ras Dashen. I have tried several other Ethiopian restaurants but none of them hold a candle to this one. Also the cherry on top is the absolutely fabulous live music that they play on Friday's and Sunday's. The music is by a band of five people, each playing a different musical instrument. The end result - simply divine! So the next time you are feeling a little adventurous and want to try out a new cuisine, I would definitely recommend Ethiopian food, if not for anything else then for the sheer experience of it!