CHEF’S LARDER The Ethiopian experience While sharing many features of southern Indian cuisine, Ethiopian cooking has a distinctive character and favour. Rachel Demuth reveals why it’s well worth mastering the making of traditional injera, vegetable ‘wats’ and making favourful seasoned oil and mixes.

Ethiopia is a country of beautiful diversity, butter for cooking and complex spice mixes A starter usually needs five days before use, with deserts, high snow-covered mountains for flavouring. by adding a little more flour and water every and fertile river valleys. The highlands of An Ethiopian meal is all about sharing. day or two. Ethiopia – if not affected by the regular In Ethiopian restaurants diners sit on small The choice of vegetables used in droughts – can grow a wide range of stools around a mesob, which is a large, Ethiopian dishes does depend on the vegetables and fruit, and the Coptic colourful woven basket with a lid. Inside the altitude and season, but on a platter you Christians from the Ethiopian Orthodox basket a large metal plate called a gebata is will always find gomen, which are collard Church have a long tradition of vegetarian topped with an injera pancake piled with a greens, a green leafy cabbage. Here in the cooking. They abstain from meat for variety of spicy wats (stews), spicy lentils and UK you can use spring greens or kale, and more than 200 days a year, fasting every vegetables. A complete Ethiopian vegetarian the greens are simply sautéed in a little oil Wednesday and Friday, as well as for Lent meal is known as yetsom beyaynetu – yetsom with some . Other vegetables that are and other religious occasions. Fasting for means ‘fasting’ and beyaynetu means frequently consumed in Ethiopia include them means abstaining from all animal ‘combination platter’, so you’re guaranteed white cabbage, red onions, shallots, garlic, products, which includes dairy, so their a vegan eating experience. In principle, this potatoes, squash, carrots, green beans, dishes are ideal for vegans. resembles an Indian thali but the flavours are tomatoes, and green and red chillies. Historically, Ethiopia played an important uniquely Ethiopian. No cutlery is used and If you like Indian food you’ll love Ethiopian part in the , so its traditional people eat with only their right hand, tearing food. It does take a little time and effort cooking has some similarities to southern off a piece of injera to scoop up the food to make the injera, the spice mixes and Indian cooking. from southern India from the sharing platter. They even have a seasoned oil, but if you don’t have time to came by boat from Cochin to the Horn of custom called gursha – feeding each other by make them all, the vegetable dishes and Africa on their way to the Mediterranean, placing the food into their mouths. spiced lentils are delicious simply served and the Ethiopians traded gold and ivory Injera is the iconic food of Ethiopia. It is with rice or flatbreads, and you can buy for spices and textiles. Consequently, the made from teff flour, which is the staple berbere from supermarkets too. Ethiopian injera pancake is very similar to starch, and all Ethiopians will eat it twice the southern Indian dosa, which is also made a day regardless of class or status. Teff Ethiopian cookery courses run throughout with a fermented batter that is sour and is the smallest of all grains with 2,500 to the year at Demuths Cookery School. Find bubbly. In both countries they use clarified 3,000 seeds to a gram and is native to out more at demuths.co.uk. Ethiopia, where it is thought to have been a staple food for 3,000 years. A tufted grass that also provides a reliable food ABOUT RACHEL for grazing animals, teff is well suited to ETHIOPIAN SHARING PLATTER Chef-proprietor of growing in the high plateau being both These dishes are all designed to be eaten the award-winning very disease- and drought-resistant. Rather together as one meal, with a small spoonful Demuths restaurant like South American quinoa, it is a highly of each one piled onto the freshly made in Bath for 25 years, nutritious grain providing two-thirds of injera pancakes. You will need to plan ahead, Rachel Demuth dietary nutrition, and it’s the main reason as the starter mix for the injera will take five is now dedicated why vegetarian Ethiopians are not anaemic days to ferment before you can use it to to running as they eat such quantities that it provides make the batter. Demuths cookery them with enough daily iron. The key to the special taste of injera is its school, which offers a range of themed Injera workshops, guest chef events, cookery sourness, which on its own is an acquired holidays in France and Italy, and the taste, but it goes very well with spicy FERMENTED PANCAKES Demuths Vegetarian and Vegan Diplomas Ethiopian dishes. The main way to achieve Injera are fermented pancakes that are for professional chefs and keen cooks. the sourness is to make a specific teff starter, made using teff flour. Teff comes in white As a well-travelled foodie, Rachel loves similar to sourdough bread or Indian dosa. and reddish varieties, but the lighter the to combine her passion for global cuisine The starter is made with a mix of teff flour, colour of the teff the more expensive it is to with locally grown produce. wild yeast on the grain, and water. The buy. Teff is often mixed with sorghum, a far

ALL IMAGES © ROB WICKS/EAT PICTURES UNLESS PICTURES UNLESS © ROB WICKS/EAT ALL IMAGES HELEN LAWRENCE STYLING: FOOD OTHERWISE. STATED longer the fermentation, the sourer it will be. cheaper grain. It can be a challenge to make

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an authentic injera as teff flour is not easy to 115ml of the warm water and leave for 1 day. using, feed it with more teff flour and leave it find, so you’ll need to buy it online. On day 5 the starter will be ready to use. to become bubbly again. 2 To make the injera, mix the teff flour PER SERVING 134 cals, fat 2g, sat fat 0g, Makes 8 x 20cm injera with the warm water and starter, and leave carbs 24g, sugars 0g, protein 5g, 0.04g, Prep 5 days covered in a warm place for a few hours. fibre 3g Cook 20 mins 3 When you are ready to cook, stir in the bicarbonate of soda. If the batter mixture For the starter: seems quite thick, add enough water to mix Ye’misir wot • 175g teff flour to a consistency of thin pancake batter. SPICY RED LENTILS • 420ml warm water 4 Heat a non-stick frying pan (about 22cm with a tight fitting lid) over a medium heat, Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 45 mins For the injera: and brush with a little sunflower oil. Pour a • 250g teff flour small ladle (about 75ml) of batter around • 200g red lentils, rinsed and drained • 400ml warm water the outer part of the hot pan. Tilt and swirl the • 1 litre water • 8 tbsp starter pan so that the batter spreads to cover the • 3 tbsp niter kebbeh seasoned cooking oil

• 1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda surface evenly right to the centre of the pan. (see recipe, opposite) • sunflower oil, for frying This method ensures that there is enough • 1 medium onion, finely chopped coverage right from the edges to the centre • 4 garlic, finely minced 1 To make the starter, mix 75g of the teff of the pan, which will make it easier to • 5cm piece of fresh , minced flour with 190ml of the warm water and remove the injera once it is cooked. If the • 1 tbsp berbere hot spice mix leave covered for 2 days. On day 3, stir the edges are too thin and fragile, they can stick (see recipe, opposite) mix and whisk in 50g of the teff flour and and be difficult to loosen from the pan. You • 1 tsp 115ml of the warm water and leave for 1 day. may need to add a little more batter if it • 3 tbsp tomato purée On day 4, stir in the last 50g of teff flour and doesn’t quite cover evenly. 5 Cover the pan with a lid, lower the heat a 1 Place the lentils and water in a saucepan little to avoid the base of the injera browning over a high heat and bring to the boil. too much, and cook for 1 minute or until it Reduce the heat and simmer for about SPICE MIXES looks dry on top with a smattering of burst 20 minutes until soft and tender, removing Spices are a very important part to bubbles over the surface. any froth that rises to the surface as they Ethiopian cooking and are made into two 6 Remove the lid and cook the injera for cook. Set aside, without draining the distinctive blends: and berbere. a minute or two longer, gently loosening cooking water. MITMITA is a powdered mix the edges by running a spatula around the 2 Heat the niter kebbeh seasoned cooking that is orange-red in colour and contains pan. The injera is ready when it is dry on the oil in a separate saucepan over a medium- ground chilli peppers, black surface with lots of burst bubbles, and the low heat. Add the onion and soften for about seeds, cloves and salt. Similar to , base should be lightly browned with the 10 minutes, until beginning to brown. it is sprinkled dry over food as a flavour spatula able to slide under it. There is no 3 Add the garlic and ginger and cook for enhancer, as well as a . need to flip it over. 1 minute. Add the berbere spice mix, paprika BERBERE is a hot spice blend that 7 Very carefully slide the injera from the and tomato purée, and cook for another is generously used and gives dishes frying pan onto a plate and cover with a minute before adding the cooked lentils with their special earthy, spicy flavour. It is clean tea towel. Reheat the pan so that it is the cooking water and a pinch of salt. a combination of chilli peppers and very hot again, before brushing with oil and 4 Simmer for 5 minutes, adding more water spices, and every cook will have their repeating the process until all of the batter if the lentils are very thick, or if too thin, keep own special mix. It can even contain the is used. cooking to thicken. Season to taste. exotically named Grains of Paradise, COOK’S TIP You will not use all the starter PER SERVING 265 cals, fat 9g, sat fat 1g, which is a variety of cardamom. with this recipe, but you can freeze it then carbs 31g, sugars 5g, protein 13g, salt 0.06g, use to make a another batch of injera. Before fibre 5g

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Niter kebbeh seasoned cooking oil For cooking, Ethiopians traditionally use niter kebbeh, which is clarified butter similar to India’s ghee, but seasoned with added spices. On fasting days they abstain from all animal products, so will use seasoned oil instead.

SPICY RED LENTILS • 250ml sunflower, untoasted oil or rapeseed oil • 1 shallot, chopped • 2 cloves garlic, crushed • 1 tbsp peeled and diced fresh ginger • ¼ tsp • 2 cardamom seeds, crushed • ½ stick • ¼ tsp ground

Heat the oil in a saucepan, add all the other ingredients and simmer very gently for 30 minutes. Strain the oil and discard the spices. Store any unused niter kebbeh in a sealed container in the fridge. The oil will keep for a couple of months and is CREAMY also great as a basis for Indian . YELLOW PEAS

Kik alicha peas are tender. Take care not to let the peas Berbere hot spice mix CREAMY YELLOW PEAS dry out, so top up the water if necessary. Set aside, without draining the cooking water. • 1 tsp seeds Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 1 hr 30 mins 2 Heat the niter kebbeh seasoned cooking • ½ tsp cardamom seeds oil and cook the onion over a medium heat • ½ tsp fenugreek seeds • 200g yellow split peas, rinsed for about 10 minutes, until soft and just • ½ tsp seeds • 1 litre water beginning to colour. • 2 whole cloves • 3 tbsp niter kebbeh seasoned cooking oil 3 Add the garlic and ginger and cook • ¼ tsp black peppercorns (see recipe, right) for 1 minute until it smells aromatic. Add • ¼ tsp whole • 1 onion, chopped the chilli and turmeric and cook for a few • 1 tsp dried chilli flakes • 4 cloves garlic, chopped seconds more, taking care not to burn • ½ tsp ground ginger • 5cm piece of fresh ginger, chopped the spices. • ¼ tsp turmeric • 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely 4 Pour the yellow peas and the cooking • ¼ tsp cinnamon chopped water into the pan with the onion • 1 tbsp paprika • 1 tsp turmeric mixture, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the Dry-fry the seeds, cloves, peppercorns 1 Place the yellow peas and water in a peas are thick and creamy. Taste and season and allspice until fragrant. Cool, then saucepan and bring to the boil, removing with a pinch of salt. grind in a spice grinder along with any frothy scum that rises to the surface. PER SERVING 263 cals, fat 10g, sat fat 1g, the chilli flakes. Mix in the remaining Lower the heat, place a lid partially covering carbs 31g, sugars 3g, protein 11g, salt 0.05g, ingredients. Store the spice mix in a the pan and cook for about 1 hour, until the fibre 5g sealed container.

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SPICY VEGETABLE STEW

Wat stirring occasionally to stop the vegetables 1 Heat a large frying pan over a medium SPICY VEGETABLE STEW from burning. heat and add the niter kebbeh seasoned 3 Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste cooking oil and shallot or onion. Cook gently Serves 4 | Prep 20 mins | Cook 35 mins and enough vegetable stock to cover. Bring for 5–10 minutes, stirring frequently until soft to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. and golden. • 3 tbsp niter kebbeh seasoned cooking oil 4 Blanch the green beans separately. Add 2 Add the garlic and ginger and cook for (see recipe, page 45) the beans and spinach to the stew and another minute or until it smells aromatic. • 1 onion, chopped simmer for about 5 minutes. Season to taste, Add the greens and water and increase the • 2 cloves garlic, crushed then serve. heat so the water simmers and the greens • 1 tbsp berbere hot spice mix PER SERVING 205 cals, fat 9g, sat fat 1g, wilt quickly. Stir well to combine the onion (see recipe, page 45) carbs 23g, sugars 13g, protein 4g, salt 0.12g, mixture into the greens and allow most of • 1 tbsp paprika fibre 7g the water to evaporate. • 2 carrots, chopped 3 Cover the pan, turn the heat to its lowest • 1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed setting and cook for another 5–10 minutes, • ¼ squash, peeled and cubed Ye’abesha gomen stirring occasionally until the greens are very tender and moist. Taste and season with a • 4 tomatoes, chopped STIR-FRIED GREENS • 1 tbsp tomato paste pinch of salt and pepper. • vegetable stock Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins | Cook 25 mins PER SERVING 84 cals, fat 6g, sat fat 1g, • 100g green beans, cut into thirds carbs 3g, sugars 2g, protein 2g, salt 0.04g, • 150g spinach, washed and de-stalked • 2 tbsp niter kebbeh seasoned cooking oil fibre 4g (see recipe, page 45) 1 Heat the niter kebbeh seasoned cooking • 1 banana shallot or small onion, thinly sliced oil and fry the onion for 5 minutes or until • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped Timatim salata translucent. Add the garlic, berbere spice • 1 tsp finely grated ginger TOMATO SALAD mix and paprika, and fry gently for a couple • 300g spring greens, kale or cavolo nero, of minutes. finely chopped Serves 4 | Prep 10 mins 2 Add the carrots, sweet potato and squash • 100ml water to the stew. Cook gently for 10 minutes, • 3 ripe tomatoes, diced

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TOMATO SALAD

SPICY VEGETABLE STEW

SPICY RED LENTILS

CREAMY YELLOW PEAS STIR-FRIED GREENS

• ¼ cucumber, diced Awaze • 1 tbsp untoasted sesame oil • 1 small red onion, chopped HOT CHILLI PEPPER SAUCE • 1 tbsp dry sherry • 1 green chilli, deseeded and finely sliced • 2 tsp agave nectar • 1 tbsp lemon juice Serves 4 | Prep 15 mins • 1 tsp red wine vinegar Place the garlic into a pestle and mortar with • 1 small garlic, peeled a large pinch of salt and pound into a paste. Mix all the ingredients together and serve • 1 tsp chopped ginger Add the ginger and pound it in until smooth. straight away. • 3 tbsp berbere hot spice mix Alternatively, grate both the garlic and PER SERVING 20 cals, fat 0g, sat fat 0g, (see recipe, page 45) ginger finely into a bowl. Stir in the remaining carbs 3g, sugars 3g, protein 1g, salt 0.01g, • 3 tbsp water ingredients and adjust the seasoning to taste. fibre 1g • juice of ½ lemon Store for up to 1 week in the fridge.

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