Ethiopia

Ethiopian cuisine like its culture bursts with exotic flavours.   Meals are usually eaten by hand with a variety of dishes placed on a flat bread called Injera.   This bread is a heavenly mix of Teff flour that is fermented and then placed on a pan similar to a griddle.   Ethiopian cuisine to replicate properly is one that that needs many years of experience in cooking this cuisine.   Similar to how a baker may perfect a croissant over 20 years one may find the same attention to detail used in Ethiopian cuisine.  A little while back the goose and I went to an Ethiopian restaurant in Toronto called Pero and the Injera and dishes were heavenly and done to perfection.   This was one of the few times we actually enjoyed a restaurant.  I then decided to replicate Injera bread with alot of experimentation and fermentation I came close but no cigar.   So this time when Ethiopia came up I was excited to cook it.  The meal turned out very good but not as good as Pero restaurant.   However I will happily say that the week after the Goose and I went to another Ethiopian restaurant in town called Lalibela and I must say in comparison the food I cooked was far superior.

The Menu

Sambusa

Ground beef with a medley of spices wrapped in a wonton wrapper and fried.   Similar to a samosa but a slightly different taste.   I solicited the help of the goose in wrapping these up.

 Injera

Fermented Teff flour is made into a thin batter and then fried.   This is a difficult bread to get right especially getting the sour component that is similar to sour dough bread.  I was very impressed with my results this time and definitely beat the Lalibela restaurant.  I do believe it will take me many years to perfect this recipe though.

Doro Wat

The national dish of Ethiopia is made with a ton of caramelized onions.  Berbere Spice is added and chicken is slowly cooked with these onions to make an amazing dish full of flavour and character.