ETHIOPIAN RECIPES
Introduction
Although the basic ingredients for Ethiopian dishes are the same as those used in foreign recipes, Ethiopian cooking has its own distinction because of the addition of special spices. Any Ethiopian dish is incomplete without these spices (as the flavor will not be the same). Therefore, foreigners planning to use these recipes will need to know the most important kinds of Ethiopian spices. Where possible we have substituted in English the names of the spices. Only a few remain untranslated as there is no English equivalent. All the spices used in our recipes are available in Ethiopia and are sold prepared in the markets. However, we must not forget that most Ethiopian housewives prefer to prepare at home their own spice mixtures for making wat.
The staple foods of most Ethiopians are injera and wat. Injera, an unleavened bread, is usually prepared from teff, wheat, barley, corn or millet. Wat can be pre- pared from all kinds of meats, vegetables, and fish.
Tella is the national drink made out of gesho hops and barley, wheat, corn, millet or teff. Tej is another fermented drink made from gesho and honey. It is usually prepared for special occasions. |