Chat

Ethiopian food! If you’re lucky enough to have nearby access, go support your local restaurant and get yourself a vegetarian platter. You will NOT regret it.

If you don’t have access or are vegan, I’ve had good luck making it as well. Here are a few recipes to start:

• Niter Kibbeh - this is the staple oil for many Ethiopian dishes. I use the same ingredients, but rather than go through all the toasting and steps, I just throw everything in the slow cooker on low for a few hours. Use this in recipes and drizzle a tiny bit over your finished dish just before serving.
• Quick Injera - this is a serviceable approximation of the real deal with common household ingredients. If you haven’t had Ethiopian food before, this is basically a thin, lightly sour pancake, and your utensil you’ll scoop up your tasty stews with. It’s also the base (literally) of combination platters. I haven’t had the fortitude to order teff and try to make the real stuff yet. This recipe is nowhere near the taste, texture, or complexity of a proper injera, but it’s good enough that I’ve made it multiple times to help with cravings.
• Kik Alicha - I love this recipe. It’s yellow split peas, which is one of my least favorite things in my pantry, and yet it ends up tasting incredible. I like how simple it is once you have the niter kibbeh as well. This recipe really shows off the niter kibbeh flavors. Don’t forget to drizzle some on just before serving.