Kale stir-fry (Gomen)

The availability of greens at the farmers’ market this week inspired me to cook this delicious kale stir fry.

In the Ethiopian community, collards rather than kale are the most common greens used. But because kale cooks and tastes like collard greens, it becomes an easy substitute in stir-fries and in dishes with lentils or lamb.

Before cooking, make sure to cut off the tough stem ends, but keep the stem in the center of the kale leaves. Then, chop leaves into small bite-sized pieces.

Like collard greens, kale requires a long cooking time to soften. In this recipe, I recommend boiling the kale for 40 minutes before adding it to the stir fry. If short on time, or if you prefer a coarser texture of kale, 20 minutes of boiling should be sufficient. Boiling kale, like collards, also makes the taste less bitter.

For cooking and seasoning kale (or any leafy green) in a stir fry, my go-to ingredients are garlic, olive oil, onions, and jalapeños.

Ingredients:

3 bunch Kale, Chopped 1 medium Jalapeno, seeded and sliced 2 large shallots, thinly sliced 3 tbs olive oil 3 large garlic, thinly sliced salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Add the chopped kale to a large pan, and cover with water. Boil on medium-high heat for about 40 minutes. Strain and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the onions to the pan. Cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the cooked kale and stir-fry for about 10 - 15 minutes, adding water as needed. Add jalapenos and stir. Cook 2 more minutes, and then season with salt. Optionally sprinkle a teaspoon of ground korerima (black cardamom) to add authentic flavor.

Lentils! A Foundation Food of Ethiopian Cuisine

The season of Lent is a significant part of Ethiopian culture, as many people are followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Christian Church. During Lent, the 55 days before Easter, followers eat only plant-based foods. During this time especially, lentils and split peas are the main ingredients for Ethiopian dishes.

Lentils are a versatile staple of Ethiopian cuisine, and a great source of both protein and fiber with a nutty flavor. They can be prepared as a stew, mixed with vegetables in a stir fry, added to cold salads, or used as part of an appetizer, as in fried sambusas.

A variety of lentils and split peas are used in Ethiopia. Here are the most common ones:

Red split lentils / Keye Misir  

Red split lentils, known as Keye Misir, are typically cooked in a stew, and seasoned with Ethiopian Berbere spice or Turmeric. This is one of my favorite kind of lentil, and it cooks very fast—in less than 30 minutes. Click here to see a video recipe of lentil stew with our mild sauce.

Whole lentils/ Difin Misir

This is one of the most versatile types of lentil, because whole lentils stay firm even when cooked for a long time. Because of this, Difin Misir works great for salads, stews, and soups. This is the type of lentil I use for my sambusas as well.

Yellow split peas/ Atir Kik

Atir Kik is yellow split peas, and one of the most widely available types of legumes sold in Ethiopia. These may be used on their own in stews, or they may be mixed with chickpeas, seasoned with spices, and ground to make a powder called “shiro.” Shiro Wat, a stew made from shiro powder, is the daily food for most people in Ethiopia because the ingredients are so easily available.

When cooked whole, Atir Kik can be tricky to cook. These yellow split peas require a longer cooking time, but they quickly turn mushy when over-cooked. To help with this, Atir Kik may be soaked in advance, or boiled first in water before being added to a prepared sauce. They are delicious cooked with Turmeric and seasoned with garlic and ginger. Check out this recipe for Atir Kik, the yellow split peas.

Next time you prepare a stew or a soup, try lentils! Not only are lentils a great source of protein, they are also quite delicious when cooked properly.

Shop - Ethiopian sauce and lentils

Five Key Spices for Ethiopian Food Cooking

When you walk into an Ethiopian grocery store or look online for Ethiopian spices, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer number and variety of spices available. Never fear! Here is a list of the five most important spices in Ethiopian cuisine, the ones you need for most Ethiopian food cooking.

Berbere

If there is only one spice to have for Ethiopian stews and stir-fries, it should be Berbere. Berbere is a blend of many spices, so adding just this to your stew will give lots of flavor and complexity. It’s easier to add Berbere to your cooking than to measure a tiny bit of each spice—so this makes cooking much quicker! All the necessary spices are included in Berbere, including many of the spices listed below.

Check this recipe to see all spices included in Berbere.

Turmeric

This is considered the second main spice in Ethiopian cooking. It is a widely used spice for mild dishes and veggie stir fries. Not only does Turmeric makes your dishes look vibrant and appetizing with its bright yellow color, it’s also full of health benefits. Turmeric is preferable for fast cooking. Unlike Berbere, which needs to simmer for a long time to develop the flavors, Turmeric needs just a couple of minutes of cooking to release its flavor.

Korerima / Black Cardamom

This is one of my favorite spices that I add to stews and stir-fries. Black Cardamom, or Korerima, is different than the Green Cardamom you find in most stores. Green Cardamom is usually used for hot teas and sweeter dishes, whereas Black Cardamom is used for savory cooking. In Ethiopia, Korerima comes in a pod, but it’s the seed inside that’s typically used for cooking. In Ethiopian stores here, you will find either the whole seed or ground Korerima. If you buy the seed whole, toast on a skillet for a couple of minutes and then grind.

Roasting Korerima

Tikur Azmud / Black Seed

Tikur Azmud is not a main cooking spice, but a subtle flavor enhancer. A little goes a long way, and too much can easily overpower the dish. Mostly paired with Berbere, Tik Azmud is best added midway through cooking to keep the aromas of the other spices. Tik Azmud is nice with bread, like adding sesame. The oil has been used traditionally for medicine, in the form of teas. Stores usually sell the whole seed, which you can toast and grind using a spice or coffee grinder.

Nech Azmud /Ajwainee Seed

Like Tikur Azmud, Nech Azmud is also a flavor enhancer rather than a main spice. It brings a pleasant, nutty flavor to mild dishes and dishes cooked with Turmeric. Nech Azmud may also be found in Mediterranean and Indian grocery stores, as it’s popular in these cuisines as well. Nech Azmud is sold as a whole spice that can be toasted and ground at home. Remember, like Tikur Azmud, a little goes a long way!

Kulet: Ethiopian simmer sauce – What is it?

I get asked a lot: What is a simmer sauce? What do you use it for? Ethiopian simmer sauce, a base sauce known as “kulet” in Ethiopia, is the main product we carry in our online store. I am here to answer your questions about kulet in this month’s blog.

When I first moved to Oregon, I missed food from my home in Ethiopia. I had a full-time accounting job and was also going to night college—so I had very little time to cook. At that time, there were no prepared Ethiopian foods in stores, and this is the reason I created my first Ethiopian simmer sauces: for convenience in preparation, and so I could have a taste of home!

Any Ethiopian stew-making starts by developing the kulet. There are two kinds of kulet: one with berbere, and the other with turmeric. Three simple ingredients make up both of these sauces: onions, oil, and a spice blend. The sauces are then seasoned with ginger and garlic. In the turmeric sauce, called “alicha”, you simply add turmeric instead of the spicier berbere.

Berbere spice Yellow split peas with Turmeric sauce

To make the yellow split peas in the picture above, simply mix 1/2 jar of our turmeric sauce, one cup of yellow split peas and 6 cups of water. Cook over medium heat for about 40 minutes or until split peas are done. Add salt to taste.

Kulet cooked with berbere takes a longer time to simmer, because berbere is a blend of many spices and chilis (Get the recipe for berbere here). The largest portion of this sauce is fresh onions, and the amount of time you cook the sauce depends on how many onions you use. The more onions you add, the longer it takes to cook. For special occasions, when you want a thicker sauce, you will use lots of onions and it will need to cook for much longer.

The basic ingredients in both the mild and the hot kulet are similar except that the mild sauce has tomato added to the chili blend, and this makes the sauce mild. This is also traditional in Ethiopian cooking. Many people assume that the mild sauce is made with less chilis, for an American palate—but this sauce is just as traditional in Ethiopia as the hot kulet. To make Ethiopian stew, all that is required is to add your protein (usually lentils or meat) to this sauce, and cook for as long as it takes to fully cook the lentils or meat.

When there are big events, people will simply make a large amount of these three basic sauces, and add different kinds of protein to make a variety of stews.

Since preparing the sauce is the most time-consuming part of making the stew, I’m sure you can understand why it was important for me to create these sauces. I hope that the convenience of these pre-made simmer sauces makes it easy for you to enjoy a taste of traditional Ethiopian food in your own home!

 Check out our new cooking class dates!

Sauces in store

All about Injera

In Addis Ethiopia where I grew up, Injera is traditionally made with 100% teff flour. Teff, an ancient grain that is very fine-- about the size of a poppyseed— is very nutritious and considered a superfood. Like sourdough, Injera is made from a fermented starter, a thin batter that is fed with water and grain flours and left to rise.

 Here in the United States, it’s common to make Injera using grains other than teff. When I first came to the US, I tried to make Injera using only teff flour, but I had difficulty getting the batter to ferment. In Ethiopia, the fermentation had been easy—perhaps because of the climate, or perhaps because the fermented starters had been so long established.

 When I began a starter here, I would add additional flours such as brown rice, barley and wheat, until the batter began to ferment. Once my Injera starter was strong and active, I then switched to 100% teff flour. Now I make Injera with only teff, which means it’s much closer to Injera made in Ethiopia where I grew up, and it’s also gluten-free.

 While there are many kinds of teff available in Ethiopia, the two most commonly found in the US are brown teff, and light ivory teff. The differences in teff create differences in how the Injera looks. Purchasing Injera from a store or restaurant, you may notice the difference in coloring. Darker colored Injera is usually made with 100% brown teff flour. Light-colored Injera may be made with ivory teff, but it also may contain other grains mixed into the batter. Make sure to ask the store or restaurant if the Injera they have available is made with 100% teff flour, as both types of Injera look very similar.

 After purchasing Injera, it can usually last up to three days on the counter or up to a week in the refrigerator. While most stores sell Injera in quantities of ten pieces, you can often purchase Injera from restaurants in quantities of five.

 If you do end up having leftover Injera, you can easily wrap it in foil and freeze it to eat later. Then, when you’re ready to eat the Injera you can simply put it in the oven in foil, or take it out of the foil and warm it up in the microwave.

 And I am excited to announce that our frozen Injera is now available in Oregon Market of Choice stores and the Bennett Urban Farm Store! It will be available soon on our online store.

 I hope you found these tips on Injera helpful! If you have any questions related to Injera, send me an email at eleni@eleniskitchen.com. If you are not on our email list sign up here to receive recipes, coupons and more.

Tips to Buying the Best and Most Authentic Berbere

Berbere is one of the most commonly used spice blends in Ethiopian Cuisine. I frequently get asked, where to buy Berbere? What ingredients should the blend use? How much should I buy? How do I know the Berbere I’m buying is authentic and of good quality? Here are some of my tips on choosing what Berbere blend is best to buy!

Tip #1: Buy From Your Local Ethiopian Store, if possible: Most Ethiopian Stores have their Berbere directly imported from Ethiopia, which used fresh authentic herbs and spices needed to make Berbere. The authentic herbs and spices are not always readily available here locally, and if they are, they may be in a dried form, not the fresh herbs used in the traditional Ethiopian berbere!

Tip # 2: Check the Ingredients: The traditional Berbere Blend contains a variety of spices and herbs, depending on the family recipe. Here are some of the main spices to look for on the ingredients list - Chilies, Besobela (Ethiopian basil), Korerima (Black Cardamom), Nech Azmud (ajwain seed), and Tikur Azmud. Additional ingredients include onions, garlic, and ginger.

Tip #3: Check for Quality: To make sure you’re getting a good “batch” look for these qualities while shopping for Berbere. The color of the Berbere should be a bright red-orange. It has a fine ground-like texture and a medium spice taste due to the chilis used to make it. The Berbere should also be stored in a cool and dry place to preserve its quality.

Tip #4: Quantity to buy: Most Berbere is sold in 1 lb bags which may seem like a lot, however, a minimum of 3 tablespoons or more of Berbere is usually used in most Ethiopian dishes. If you cook Ethiopian dishes frequently or plan to, buying the 1 pound of Berbere is cost-effective. If you only plan to use Berbere in your dishes, once in a while an 8 oz would be best or 2oz if you’re just trying it out! 

If Berbere is not available in your city, you can check out my Berbere here. All of my spice blends are imported from Ethiopia to give you an authentic flavor!

Best Pans To Use When Making Injera:

If you’ve had Ethiopian Food, then you’re no stranger to Injera, but what exactly is Injera and more importantly, how can we make it? 

Injera is a famous sour fermented flatbread that is served with many Ethiopian dishes. It’s sponge-like texture is used to soak up the foods that it is served with. Injera is made from Teff, also known as the smallest grain in the world but that doesn't take away from how highly nutritious it is and it’s gluten-free! In fact, Teff is gaining major popularity amongst healthy food enthusiasts. 

So what kind of pan do we use to make Injera? 

To figure this out, you have to pick the pan that fits your needs! Will you be making Injera on a daily basis? Or is it more of a once a month dish you’d like to include in your meal plan? Are you going to be making large-sized Injera for your dishes? Or will they be in smaller portions? Below are a few different pans that you can choose from to best suit your Injera-making needs! 

The Traditional Griddle, also known as Mitad is the most commonly used griddle when making Injera! It is ideal for those who are making larger sized Injera for their dishes and for those who plan on making Injera very often. You can find this griddle at most Ethiopian grocery stores or online! 

If you’re not ready to invest in a Traditional Electric Griddle just yet, don’t worry! Here are a few alternative nonstick pans that I use to make Injera and that work just as well. 

First we have the Cuisinart Crepe Pans (pictured on the right), these are low-cost compared to your traditional electric griddle. They are light and easy to use on any stovetop. Due to it’s pan shape, it is also ideal to use when you’d like to keep the size of the Injera within the size of the pan.

Next we have the T-fal Heat Mastery Ceramic Cookware fry pan (on the left). It is easily found in stores like Target or online, these are very affordable and useful if you’re only making Injera once in a while. 

Lastly, we have the ScanPan 10-inch, my go-to stovetop pan when making Injera for my business! This one is a bit more pricey and heavier in weight than the Cuisinart Pans however, I found that they are very durable and have a better function than other stovetops that I used. It works well, lasts long, and is very reliable which is why I primarily use this pan for my business. You can find this pan online at the ScapPan Website or on Amazon! 

These are a few tools you can use to make Injera. Choose the one that fits your needs and let us know how it goes! Share photos of your Injera by tagging us on Facebook or Instagram. If you’re interested in step by step instructions on how to make my Injera Recipe, or other Ethiopian Dishes, make sure to sign up for my newsletter so you get notified on my next Virtual Cooking Class!

Kosta be dench – Rainbow chard and potato stir fry

Although not as popular as Gomen (Ethiopian collard greens), stir fried chards are one of the side dishes that occasionally accompany vegan stews on an injera platter. The type of chard available in Ethiopia has a white stem, but rainbow chard works the same.

Ingredients:

2 bunches rainbow chard, leaves and stems separated and diced ¼ cup red onions, chopped ½ tbsp. garlic, finely minced 3 tbsp. cooking oil 1 jalapeno, seeded and diced 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan over low heat. Add the onions and the diced stems to the pan. Cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the potatoes and continue to cook for 5 more minutes. Increase heat to medium. Start adding about 2 table spoons of water as needed while continuing to stir to avoid sticking. Cook for 10 more minutes. Last, add the chard leaves, garlic, and jalapenos. Cook for another 10 minutes, or until the potato and chard leaves are done to your liking. Season with salt.

Tip:

The chard greens produce their own water when cooking, so it’s a good idea to pat them dry after washing.

When cooking chard for this recipe, it’s a good idea to separate the stems from the leaves because the leaves cook faster than the stem. To make sure it cooks evenly, allow the stems to cook first before adding the leaves.

Before trimming the stems, wash the greens thoroughly and pat them dry. To separate the stem from the leaves, fold the greens along the stem and simply slice the stem out. Then, dice the stems and leaves separately.

This chard dish is delicious with or without potatoes, based on preference. In contrast to most Ethiopian stews that use garlic and ginger as a seasoning, when stir-frying greens we just add garlic by itself. In this stir fry, seeded jalapenos are also added towards the end for added flavor.

Pumpkin with Turmeric (Alicha Duba Wot)

If you have the small edible pumpkins at home, you can use them for this simple Alicha Duba Wot recipe (Duba is the name used for any kind of squash in Ethiopia, and Alicha Wot means mild stew). This dish can be served as a side dish to any meal.

Ingredients

2 cups of pumpkin cut in small cubes (peeled and seeded)

½ small yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 table spoon olive oil

½ tea spoon turmeric

Salt

Put a pan on a medium heat and add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add turmeric and pumpkin and cover with water. cook for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste. Enjoy !

Ethiopian Cauliflower Recipe

Easy and quick recipe to upgrade your cauliflower using the Ethiopian berbere spice blend.

I love cauliflower cooked in many ways but flavoring it with the Ethiopian spice mix berbere is my favorite of all. This Ethiopian cauliflower recipe can be done fast and it’s very easy to make, with only four ingredients.

Cauliflower is also a good vegetable for Ethiopian stews because it cooks quickly on a simmer and takes on the flavor of the mild sauce, or kulet . Cauliflower also roasts well. In fact, another popular way to make an Ethiopian cauliflower side dish is to coat a whole head of cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and berbere spice and roast it in the oven.

I prefer the speed and the texture of pan-fried cauliflower. Making cauliflower this way is so quick to prepare and offers a perfect canvas for whatever spices you want to showcase. Plus, in the summer, this way is better than cooking in a hot oven. Check out my simple and quick recipe below!

Recipe for Berbere Cauliflower

Ingredients:

4 cups cauliflower florets 1 teaspoon berbere spice mix 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil or any other oil Salt to taste

Instructions:

Spread the cauliflower on a tray and sprinkle with berbere and salt. Mix gently. Add the oil to a large stir fry pan and bring to medium heat. Add the cauliflower and stir fry for about 10-15 minutes, until the cauliflower reaches desired tenderness.

Tip:

This recipe calls for one teaspoon of berbere—add more if you like it spicier!

Offer:

I hope you enjoy these tasty cauliflower bites and have an occasion so share with your friends and family. For more tasty recipes and helpful tips, sign up for our newsletter! You’ll also receive a coupon to use in our store!

Fossolia recipe, ethiopian green beans and carrots

Learn how to make tasty Ethiopian fossolia, a delicious green beans and carrots recipe. Fossolia is simple to make and easy to love.

In Middle Eastern countries, the word “fossolia” can either be used generically to refer to all kinds of beans, or it can also refer specifically to green beans. Many bean dishes throughout the Middle East are warm stews. The adopted version of this dish, for Ethiopians, “fossolia” usually refers to a stir fry of green beans, carrots, and sometimes potatoes.

Fossolia is one of my favorite side dishes! But in Ethiopia, you don’t always see it on the menu at restaurants. This is because green beans are not always available in markets. But when they are available, they are always a favorite choice for cooking.

I love to eat the Ethiopian stir fried version of fossolia especially in the summer. It’s the perfect time here in the United States when green beans are fresh off the vines and in farmer’s markets. In the winter, it can also be transformed into a wintry comfort food by adding a little bit of tomato sauce and some spices to turn it in to a stew.

The natural sweetness of the carrot gives a nice contrast to the earthiness of the green beans and softens the sharpness of ginger. Like so many Ethiopian dishes, fossolia is very easy to customize based on your desired texture, spice level, and available ingredients. Try it out a few different ways to see what you like best!

Recipe for Fossolia (Ethiopian Green Beans and Carrots)

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, cut lengthwise 3 tablespoons oil (your choice) 4 teaspoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon minced ginger 4 cups green beans, trimmed and cut in half 4 cups carrots, 2-inch carrot sticks or baby carrots cut in half Optional: 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges Salt to taste

Instructions:

Put the onions in a medium skillet and sauté for about 5 minutes on a medium heat. Add the oil, garlic, and ginger. Cook for another 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Next, add the carrots and 1/4 cup of water. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, add the green beans and stir to combine. Continue adding water as needed to avoid sticking. Let the vegetables cook for another 25 minutes, or until beans and carrots are soft. Add salt to taste.

Tip:

I teach this dish in one of my cooking classes, and I notice my students here prefer their carrots and green beans a little crunchy (whereas in Ethiopia we tend to cook the vegetables until they are very soft). So, when you cook this dish, taste throughout to get it to your desired doneness.

Note:

If you do add potatoes, you would want to add them after the green beans, when there’s about 15 minutes left.

Offer:

I hope you enjoy exploring all the ways to make this traditional Ethiopian veggie dish taste just how you want it! For more tasty recipes and helpful tips, sign up for our newsletter. You’ll also receive a coupon to use in our store!

A little about me: Are you interested learning about cooking Ethiopian food? if so, I would love to share with you some of the Ethiopian dishes I cook at home. My name is Eleni. I was born and raised in Ethiopia. I came to the United States about 19 years ago. I live with my husband and two kids (ages 10 and 12) in the beautiful state of Oregon, near Portland. I am a caterer, food instructor and a farmer’s market vendor – and everything I do is exclusively related to Ethiopian food. Now I’ve created this blog to share recipes, tips, and ingredients to make it easy for you to prepare Ethiopian food at home.

Refreshing Lentil Salad Recipe

Check out this tasty and simply refreshing recipe for Ethiopian lentil salad, Azifa. Azifa is perfect for sharing on warm days.

Today’s post is for a simple, yet delicious, summer lentil salad recipe. In Ethiopia, most lentil dishes are served hot as stews, but it’s nice to have some variety, especially as the days get warmer. Azifa is an Ethiopian green lentil salad, served cold, and made most often for large family gatherings and shared potluck-style meals.

What's great about Azifa is it is very simple to make and packs quite a bit of flavor! Traditionally Azifa is made with fresh jalapenos, red onions, and lime which gives the dish a refreshing taste and create a nice contrast to the cooked lentils. I personally like to sauté the onions and jalapenos, which is shown on the recipe below. The most distinct flavor in the Azifa comes from the ground mustard. In Ethiopia, we use the brown mustard seeds, but you can substitute your favorite choice.

The cooking time for Azifa is also easy to modify based on your schedule and taste. Presoaking the lentils will shorten the cook time. Or, you can even overcook the lentils and use Azifa as a dip (similar to guacamole) with chips. Overcooking the lentils will make them easier to mash into a more uniform dip.

Recipe for Azifa (Ethiopioan Green Lentil Salad)

Ingredients: 2 cups cooked green lentils 3 tbs minced red onions 3 tbs minced seeded jalapenos 2 tbs olive oil 3 tsp Ground mustard 3 tbs lemon juice Salt to taste

Instructions:

Heat the olive oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for about two minutes. Add the jalapenos and continue to sauté for an additional minute, stir occasionally. Season with salt. Turn off the heat and let the pan cool down.

In a medium bowl add the cooked lentils. Mash some of the lentils with a fork, just lightly (optional). Sprinkle the mustard on top and mix. Add all the other ingredients, including the sautéed onions and jalapenos, and combine. Add salt to taste.

Tip:

The traditional way of cooking the lentils for this salad will result in a very soft lentil. Cook to your likeness of tenderness.

Note:

Brown lentils can be used instead of the green lentils.

Offer:

I hope you enjoy trying Azifa! And if you get extra lentils, they’ll also go great with our mild turmeric simmer sauce or spicy simmer sauces . For more tasty recipes and helpful tips, sign up for our newsletter. You’ll also receive a coupon to use in our store!

A little about me:

Are you interested learning about cooking Ethiopian food? if so, I would love to share with you some of the Ethiopian dishes I cook at home. My name is Eleni. I was born and raised in Ethiopia. I came to the United States about 19 years ago. I live with my husband and two kids (ages 10 and 12) in the beautiful state of Oregon, near Portland. I am a caterer, food instructor and a farmer’s market vendor – and everything I do is exclusively related to Ethiopian food. Now I’ve created this blog to share recipes, tips, and ingredients to make it easy for you to prepare Ethiopian food at home.

Ethiopian Green Salad (Salata) Recipe

Learn how to make a refreshing classic Ethiopian green salad, or salata. This recipe is perfect for cookouts and warm, summer days.

There are a few common varieties of Ethiopian salads, or salatas. There is tomato salad (Timatim salata) and green lentil salad (Azifa). Today’s recipe is for green salad. The lettuce used to make the Ethiopian green salad, or salata, is Romaine. That is the kind that I have seen used in Ethiopia and that is the kind I use.

In Ethiopia, salads are made usually during what we call the fasting days, like Lent and Wednesdays and Fridays (which are also fasting days). Salatas are served alongside other vegan dishes like lentils and yellow split pea stews.

At Ethiopian restaurants, I noticed the green salad comes with almost every meal whether you order meat or veggie platter (just like some Italian or Mediterranean restaurants that serve a salad before every meal). The only difference in Ethiopian restaurants is usually that the salad comes on the same platter next to the other dishes on top of the injera.

At home Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays is when I usually cook Ethiopian dishes and I pick one veggie dish to go with our protein. For example, I may cook a green beans and carrot dish this week, next week can be a cabbage dish, the next the Ethiopian green salad, and so on. Ethiopian green salad is my younger son’s favorite veggie side dish. He loves the lemon flavor of the dressing.

This simple, green salad is common in Ethiopia – and probably one reason it is so common is because it is so simple to make. Even though it is an easy recipe to follow, I have made mistakes before! There was a time that I added a little bit too much garlic and it overwhelmed the salad. That is why I caution readers below to start out with just a little bit of it.

Also, I used to mix all the salad dressing ingredients together at once. Now, to make the salad dressing I start out by squeezing the juice of the lemon in a bowl , then slowly add the oil while whisking, then I will mix in the other dressing components. This way, the salad dressing looks very smooth, appealing, and delicious.​

Ethiopian Green Salad (Salata) Recipe

Ingredients:

4 cups romaine lettuce, chopped

½ cup tomatoes, diced or sliced

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoon red onions, minced or diced

½ teaspoon garlic, minced

2 table spoon jalapenos minced or diced

Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Add the lettuce and tomatoes to a large bowl, set aside. In a separate medium container, add the lemon juice, then add the olive oil in slowly while whisking constantly. Add the red onions, garlic and jalapenos, to the dressing, mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle the dressing over the lettuce and tomatoes and toss together.

Tip:

This salad recipe includes minced garlic, which I prefer for freshness and flavor, but you can also use garlic powder. I also tend to use less garlic, so if you like a strong garlic flavor to your green salad, add more than stated on the recipe. Other veggies like shredded carrots and cucumbers work well if added to this green salad.

Note:

If you’d like to save some salad for later, it’s best to decide that ahead of time so you can store the salad and dressing separately. This will help the lettuce stay crisp.

Offer:

I hope you enjoy this easy Ethiopian green salad recipe and share it with your friends and family. For more tasty recipes and helpful tips, sign up for our newsletter! You’ll also receive a coupon to use in our store!

Amaze with this Awaze Recipe

This fundamental Ethiopian red chili dip, awaze, is so delicious and easy to make you’ll start to use it in everything! Try this traditional awaze recipe today.

Two weeks ago, I wrote about how to make berbere, an Ethiopian spice mix that’s used nearly every day in our traditional home cooking. The recipe I’m excited to share today helps prove this point! One of the easiest uses of berbere is to make awaze, a citrusy and tangy red chili dip with a little spice.

Traditionally, awaze is made for special occasions like weddings and served with raw meat (many consider gored gored - cubed raw meat with dipping sauce - an unofficial national dish in Ethiopia that no celebration is complete without.) Personally, I don’t care for raw meat, but there are many other delicious ways to bring this traditional sauce into your cooking. On its own, you can use awaze as a dip for your favorite fresh vegetables or as a flavor boost to a sandwich or wrap similar to how you might add hot sauce. You can also substitute awaze for berbere in stews and stir fries (or drizzle over the top after cooking). For example, if you like the beef tibs recipe from last week, try using awaze instead of the plain berbere. This substitution is quite common and the dish is so popular in restaurants that the dish has claimed its own name: Awaze tibs. The extra ingredients in the awaze will elevate the richness and flavor of whatever stew or stir fry you add it to.

Like many Ethiopian sauces, different households and restaurants use slightly different ingredients and proportions based on their preferences. Below is my go-to recipe, but it’s truly customizable.

Recipe for Awaze - Ethiopian Chili Dip

Ingredients:

¼ cup berbere

½ tablespoon ground black cardamom​

⅛ teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons red wine

3 tablespoons warm water

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients until you get a smooth consistency.

Yield: about ½ cup of Ethiopian chili dip

Tip:

A more traditional awaze recipe will use tej (honey wine) as the alcoholic liquid or areka (a strong alcoholic drink similar to gin). I only make awaze with red wine, but you could also try white wine or one of these other stronger substitutes.

Note:

Store your awaze chili dip in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Offer:

Want to try the recipe but having a hard time creating your own berbere? We’ll soon be offering a pre-made berbere spice blend in our store. Sign up for our newsletter to find out when it’s available. You’ll also receive a coupon, even more tasty recipes, and helpful tips!

A little about me

Are you interested learning about cooking Ethiopian food? if so, I would love to share with you some of the Ethiopian dishes I cook at home. My name is Eleni. I was born and raised in Ethiopia. I came to the United States about 19 years ago. I live with my husband and two kids (ages 10 and 12) in the beautiful state of Oregon, near Portland. I am a caterer, food instructor and a farmer’s market vendor – and everything I do is exclusively related to Ethiopian food. Now I’ve created this blog to share recipes, tips, and ingredients to make it easy for you to prepare Ethiopian food at home.

Beef Tibs Recipe – Ethiopian Stir Fry

Learn how to make one of the most popular Ethiopian stir fry dishes, called Tibs. This spicy stir fry is easy to prepare. Traditionally made with beef, it’s easy to make vegetarian, too.

At my farmer's market stand, one of the most popular dishes requested by customers is tibs, or Ethiopian stir fry. Saga tibs, or beef stir fry, is also one of my husband's and kids’ favorite dishes.For that reason, it is a tradition in our household to make beef tibs every Father’s Day.

At home, I serve beef tibs over injera bread along Ethiopian romaine salad with homemadevinegar dressing. I make beef tibs medium spicy to accommodate everyone and serve a side of spicy berbere sauce.

Tibs is easy to make and delicious. Like many Ethiopian dishes, tibs relies on berbere spice for its signature flavor. Berbere is one of the most common Ethiopian spice blends — learn how tomake your own berbere Ethiopian spice mix !

Next to stews, the other popular way to use berbere in Ethiopian cooking is in stir fries, or tibs. On holidays, tibs is the first dish made. Since it is the quickest, we eat it while waiting for other simmering dishes. Adding a tablespoon of spice is all you need to add the berbere flavor to the dish. If you like your dishes spicier, you can double the berbere to two tablespoons. I’m very excited to share the beef tibs recipe so you can make it for yourself at home! Happy Father’s Day!

Recipe for Saga Tibs (Beef Stir Fry)

Ingredients:

1 pound cubed flat-iron steak

¼ cup red onion, sliced

1 roma tomato, cut in wedges

3 tablespoons olive oil (or preferred alternative) ​

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon berbere

2 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 teaspoon ground black cardamom or black pepper to taste

Instructions:

Start with the sauce by adding the tomatoes and onions to a pan and cook on medium heat for 3 to 4 minutes, until soft. Then add 2 tablespoons of oil and the berbere. Turn the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes. Next, add the garlic and simmer for 2 more minutes. The last step for the sauce is to add ½ teaspoon of salt and the black cardamom or black pepper. In a separate pan, heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat, then add the meat. Sprinkle the meat with ½ teaspoon of salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Move the meat to the pan with the berbere sauce. Cook until done, about 8-10 minutes.

Tip:

To get the best flavor, use the freshest meat you can get. Try to find a local butcher, ranch, or farm that sells high-quality, locally raised beef. It makes a difference. When I am making stews, I don’t mind getting stew beef from the grocery store. The meat cooks in spices for a long time and takes on the flavor of the sauce. Because tibs is a quick-cooking stir fry, better quality meat will make your dish taste better. If you are using any other meat cut than the flank steak, make sure it is tender meat.

Note:

Tibs is traditionally made with beef. To make it a vegetarian or vegan meal, replace the beef with any of the following vegan proteins:

 Extra-firm tofu

 Tempeh

 Soy curls

 Mushrooms

Offer:

Stir fry recipes are great because they are usually quick to learn and easy to make. Other Ethiopian dishes can take much longer though to create the base sauce. That’s why we offer pre-made sauces , so you can try out new recipes as quickly and easily as this adding your protein of choice and heating! Sign up for our newsletter and you’ll receive a coupon, tasty recipes, helpful tips, and more!

Berbere Recipe - How to Make Ethiopian Spice Mix

Berbere is an essential Ethiopian spice mix, used almost every day in Ethiopian home cooking. Get the recipe and learn how to make it yourself.

Used in sauces, on meats, and tons of platters, berbere is an iconic firey red pepper spice blend that adds an earthy heat to dishes. It's used nearly every day in Ethopian home cooking.

Preparing berbere is always a labor of love because of the many steps and the variety of ingredients.

Berbere is made of a variety of Ethiopian spices, blended together. In Ethopia, every household mixes and blends their own berbere spices at home. Then they take the mix to a shop that grinds the spices. The result is truly magical: A versatile and delicious spice blend that tells the story of the household that creates it.

Because we cook with berbere nearly every day, Ethiopian households prepare a very large volume - about 40 pounds! - of berbere at once. We store and use this amount for about a year.

Here is the traditional way to make Berbere:

Step 1

Rinse and sun dry about 37 pounds of chili pods (these are similar to California or New Mexico chilis). Remove the stems, then shred into pieces in a traditional spice grinder (mortar and pestle) at home.

Step 2

Mince, then sun dry, a fresh spice mix of rue seeds, besobela (sacred basil), red onions, garlic and ginger.

Step 3

Mix together dry whole spices, like black cardamom, black cumin seed and ajawain seed, cinnamon and cloves. Roast them a little, then ground with a mortar and pestle.

Step 4

Now all the chilis, herbs and spices get mixed up and will be taken to the spice grinder shop. ​

Here in North America, it's hard to grow or find the same fresh herbs and whole spices that are available in Ethiopia. That makes it equally hard to duplicate the exact flavor of berbere. If you want to try making berbere at home, below is a recipe that I have created. It's the closest I've been able to come to recreating the flavor of berbere here in the United States.

Recipe for Ethiopian Berbere Spice

Ingredients:

¼ cup New Mexico chili

¼ cup Hungarian paprika

2 teaspoon freeze-dried red onion

2 teaspoon freeze-dried garlic

2 teaspoon whole black cardamom

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon whole ajwain seeds (Nech Azmud)

¼ teaspoon whole black cumin seeds (Tikur Azmud)

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder

5 whole cloves

2 teaspoons dried Ethiopian besobela (sacred basil)

½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Put the whole spices (black cardamom, ajawain seeds and black cumin seeds) on a small skillet over medium-low heat and toast for about 2 minutes, shaking the skillet at times to avoid burning. Cool down for a little bit then grind in a spice grinder with the dried Ethiopian besobela. Add all the other ingredients and grind more to get all the spices blended. This recipe results in a milder berbere, but it has all the good berbere flavor.

Tip:

Add your favorite hot chili powder to make it spicier.

Note:

Store in an airtight container for up to a year.

Sign up for our newsletter and you’ll receive a coupon, recipes, tips, and more!

A little about me

Are you interested learning about cooking Ethiopian food? if so, I would love to share with you some of the Ethiopian dishes I cook at home. My name is Eleni. I was born and raised in Ethiopia. I came to the United States about 19 years ago. I live with my husband and two kids (ages 10 and 12) in the beautiful state of Oregon, near Portland. I am a caterer, food instructor and a farmer’s market vendor – and everything I do is exclusively related to Ethiopian food. Now I’ve created this blog to share recipes, tips, and ingredients to make it easy for you to prepare Ethiopian food at home.

How to Cook with Turmeric Sauce

Turmeric sauce is a delicious staple of Ethiopian cooking with endless uses. Learn how to make it and create easy, flavorful dishes.

If you’ve ever wondered how to cook Ethiopian food at home, the sauces are a good place to start. Even though cooking Ethiopian foods might seem daunting, it’s not. When you look at the variety of the stews in Ethiopian restaurants, you know, the big platter with many dishes on top of the injera (flat bread), and if you think about making all those dishes it may seem overwhelming. The truth is many of those stews are made with similar base sauces.

One of the most common Ethiopian sauces is Alicha Kulet, or turmeric sauce. Alicha means “mild” and kulet is “sauce.” Unlike red pepper sauces made with the Ethiopian chili known as berbere, turmeric sauce isn’t spicy – making it an excellent entry point into Ethiopian food.

It’s so mild and attractive to the palate that children like it. As a child in Ethiopia, when we were given the choice, I remember asking for it over the red pepper sauce: “I want the bicha (yellow).” You can’t miss its bright yellow color when the platter of dishes is brought to you!

This sauce is a delicious staple of vegan Ethiopian cooking. Alicha kulet is common on tables during fasting season, Lent, and throughout the year on fasting days when we eat only vegan food. The savory sauce can be used as the base of a simmered stew or soup, as a burst of extra flavor in a stir fry, or as a deep flavor in slow-cooker meals.

Made from a collection of common aromatic ingredients, turmeric sauce is an easy way to add excitement and character to any basic protein. My favorite recipe to share with new cooks of Ethiopian food is Kik Alicha, or yellow split pea stew made with turmeric sauce. It’s also a great recipe because it’s easy to swap in different proteins – ground beef is a common choice for people who eat meat – and to serve with different sides such as potatoes.

Recipe for Yellow Split Pea Stew (Atir Kik Alicha)

Ingredients:

1 medium yellow onion, minced     ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil (or any other oil)

1 teaspoon turmeric               4 teaspoon garlic, minced (about 4 cloves)

2 teaspoons minced ginger         2 cups yellow split peas

Water                             Salt, to taste

Instructions:

Put the onions in a medium skillet and cook until soft about 5 minutes, on a medium heat. Add the oil, cook for 2 minutes. Add the turmeric and cook for 3 minutes, stir occasionally. Add 2 cups of water and split peas, cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add additional 3 more cups of water and cook for another 30 minutes or until the split peas are done. Add more water if needed. Add salt to taste.

Yields 4-6 servings.

Tip:

You can soak the yellow split peas for 2 hours before cooking, to shorten the cooking time. Presoaking legumes also makes beans easier to digest. If you presoak the yellow split peas, reduce the water by ½ to 1 cup.

Note:

The Ethiopian way to prepare Atir Kik Alicha (yellow split pea stew) is to cook it until the peas are very soft and mushy. In the United States, many people like their legumes a little firmer. If that describes you, begin testing for doneness after 15-20 minutes of cooking.

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