AFRICAN CUISINE

Hello ladies and gents this is the viking telling you that today we are talking about the beautiful country of

Ethiopia

Ethiopian cuisine (Amharic: የኢትዮጵያ ምግብ) characteristically consists of vegetable and often very spicy meat dishes. This is usually in the form of wat, a thick stew, served atop injera, a large sourdough flatbread, which is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) in diameter and made out of fermented teff flour. Ethiopians eat most of the time with their right hands, using pieces of injera to pick up bites of entrées and side dishes.

The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church prescribes a number of fasting (tsom, Ge'ez: ጾም ṣōm, excluding any kind of animal products, including dairy products and eggs) periods, including Wednesdays, Fridays, and the entire Lenten season, so Ethiopian cuisine contains many dishes that are vegan.

A typical dish consists of injera accompanied by a spicy stew, which frequently includes beef, lamb, vegetables and various types of legumes, such as lentils. Gurage cuisine also makes use of the false banana plant (enset, Ge'ez: እንሰት inset), a type of ensete. The plant is pulverized and fermented to make a bread-like food called qocho or kocho (Ge'ez: ቆጮ ḳōč̣ō), which is eaten with kitfo. The root of this plant may be powdered and prepared as a hot drink called bulla (Ge'ez: ቡላ būlā), which is often given to those who are tired or ill. Another typical Gurage preparation is coffee with butter (kebbeh). Kita herb bread is also baked.

Doro Wat and Injera Recipe

Ingredients:

For the Doro Wat:

• 3 pounds boneless chicken, breasts and thighs, cut into 1 inch cubes
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 sticks (1 cup) butter
• 1 cup red wine
• 2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 1/3 cup hot smoked paprika
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 lime, juiced

For the Injera Recipe:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup buckwheat flour
• 2 tablespoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups club soda
• 1 cup white or rice vinegar
• Oil for pan

Directions:

1. For the Doro Wat: Place all the ingredients, minus the lime juice, in a slow cooker and cover. Cook for 4-6 hours–depending on your slow cooker settings–until the chicken is tender. Then mash the chicken to shreds with a potato masher (or the bottom of a ladle.) Stir in the lime juice and keep warm.
2. For the Injera Recipe: In a large bowl, mix both flours, salt and baking soda together. Whisk in the club soda until smooth. Then add the vinegar and whisk.
3. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour oil on a paper towel and wipe the skillet with the oiled paper towel.
4. Using a scoop, pour batter into the skillet creating a 6 inch circle. Carefully swirl the pan around to thin out the batter until it measures 8-9 inches across.
5. Cook for 1 minute, then using a large spatula, flip the Injera over and cook another minute. Remove from the skillet and stack on a plate. Repeat with remaining batter. The Injera will seem slightly crisp in the pan, but will soften immediately when placed on the plate.
6. Once finished cooking the Injera. Cut the circles in half with a pizza cutter, roll into tubes and stack. Keep warm until ready to serve. Serve the Doro Wat and Injera together, tearing piece of Injera and using it to pick up the Doro Wat.

And as always have a chilled day from the viking