FOREWORD
Ethiopia which is a country with a vast area is the seat of many nationalities. Thus it has been referred to as the museum of peoples. On the other hand, these.different nationalities have their own customs and habits which vary immensely from one another. Hence the food habits and dietary patterns are also quite varied and numerous to the extent that their scope and range has not yet been revealed to date. However, the Ethiopian Nutrition Institute has attempted to present this traditional recipe book which is based on dietary habits of the more known regions.
The presentation of this standardized traditional recipe book is a milestone in the application of proper nutrition in that not only a vast variety of foods that can be prepared have been covered, but also the nutrient content of each prepared food has been included. This makes it possible for users of the book to follow specific diets if they need to do so. Special attention has also been given to the conservation of the nutritional.value to the foods by adjustments in preparation methods where necessary without affecting' the culinary quality of the prepared foods. Recipes ranging from the lowest cost to the most elaborate have been covered, allowing users of the book a wide choice from which to formulate healthy balanced meals for the family. This book which is the result of the work of many experienced persons in the field of nutrition is hoped to contribute much in the practical application of proper nutrition and in furthering knowledge about Ethiopian foods.
It is envisaged ,that this book will be enlarged and expanded as more knowledge is gained by the Ethiopian Nutrition Institute through its research activities and as the knowledge and attitudes of people change in the coming years.
I congratulate the Ethiopian Nutrition Institute for having reached a stage to be able to offer a major work in translating nutrition into practical terms and in making traditional Ethiopian foods known.
I hope that this endeavour showed by the Ethiopian Nutrition Institute and other institutions that have produced similar materials will be a stimulus and an example to other organizations and disciplines to multiply the production of relevant informative and teaching materials if different fields.
TEF,ERRA WONDE MINISTER OF HEALTH |