Ethiopian Cuisine

I love Ethiopian restaurants so I tried to recreate some of the dishes at home.

Berbere Lentils: Yemisir Wot

3/4 cup (185 mL) canola oil

1-1/2 medium yellow onions, finely chopped

1/4 cup (125 mL) berbere spice blend, or to taste

1 tbsp (15 mL) puréed fresh, peeled ginger

2 tsp (10 mL) puréed fresh garlic

1 cup (250 mL) dried red lentils, washed

3 cups (750 mL) water + more if needed

1/2 tsp broth paste

1/2 tsp (2 mL) fine sea salt, or to taste

1/3 cup hummus

1/4 lemon juice

In medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Add onions. Cook, stirring, 8 minutes. Stir in berbere, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add lentils. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add 3 cups (750 mL) water. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring often and adding water if needed, until lentils disintegrate and mixture is a thick stew, about 30 minutes. Taste; season with salt.

Adapted from: https://www.thestar.com/life/food_wine/2014/02/21/how_to_make_an_ethiopian_vegetarian_feast.html

The original recipe was too spicy so I added hummus and lemon juice. It was still a bit too spicy but delicious with the sweet green beans and rice.

Tomato and String Beans: Fossolia

2 onions, chopped 1/3 c. canola oil 2 oz. tomato paste 4 cups green beans, ends snapped off and cut or snapped into halves or thirds 3 carrots, cut into stick-shaped pieces 2-3 tomatoes, chopped 2 tsp minced ginger

2 tsp minced garlic salt, to taste

Start by cooking the onions on medium heat for about seven minutes, or until the onions begin to turn translucent and soften. Add the oil and continue cooking for several more minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and allow several minutes for the ingredients to simmer together. Add the green beans and carrots, stir well, and cover. Continue cooking on medium heat for 7 minutes, then add the tomato, ginger, garlic, and salt, and simmer until all of the vegetables are cooked but still firm.

Adapted from: https://theberberediaries.wordpress.com/tag/ethiopian-recipes/

You're typically supposed to eat Ethiopian food with Injera, the crepes, but I just ate it with rice because I was too lazy to try to make the crepes. I thought the meal was good! not one of my favorites but very tasty.