Ethiopian cuisine

Lore & Background

Ethiopian cuisine centers on injera, a tangy flatbread made from teff, an ancient grain native to Ethiopia. Meals are typically served on a mesob basket, with diners using pieces of injera to scoop up wat—a thick stew that may include beef, lamb, chicken, vegetables, or legumes. The national dish is doro wat, a spicy chicken stew flavored with berbere, a spice blend of chili peppers, garlic, ginger, and other spices. In southern regions, the false banana plant (enset) is pulverized and fermented to make kocho, a bread-like food eaten with kitfo, and its root is powdered for a hot drink called bulla, often given to the tired or ill.

Reader's Guide

Ethiopian cuisine is significant for its integration of religious fasting practices, which have produced a rich array of vegan dishes using oils from sesame, safflower, and nug (niger seed) as substitutes for animal fats. The cuisine also reflects historical trade and the brief Italian occupation, which popularized pasta even in rural areas. Coffee, believed to have originated in Ethiopia, is central to culture, with a ceremonial roasting, brewing, and serving after every meal. The cuisine's communal dining style, where people share from a single platter, reinforces social bonds and cultural identity. Restrictions on pork and shellfish among Orthodox Christians, Muslims, and Jews further shape the culinary landscape, emphasizing vegetarian and legume-based dishes.

Did You Know?

• Injera is about 50 centimeters (20 inches) in diameter and made from fermented teff flour.
• During Ethiopian Orthodox fasting periods, faithful may not consume any animal products, including dairy and eggs.
• Quanta is an air-dried beef jerky with traditional spices, eaten as a snack or used in stews.
• The coffee ceremony is enacted after every meal and is a large part of Ethiopian culture.