July 9 | Ethiopia
July 9 was the one-year anniversary of Around the World in Quarantine! One might anticipate us going out with a bang, but that was not the case. We just came back from vacation, and I just wanted to relax. I chose to keep it simple and focus my energy in the kitchen. It was time to circle back to Africa, so I chose one of its countries highly regarded for its cuisine, Ethiopia.
Color Scheme: Black and White
Tablescape
Menu
First Course: Injera, Asa Tibs (center), Alicha Ater Kik (top left), Gomen Wat (top right), Atkilt Wat (bottom left) and Shiro Wat (bottom right)
One of the first things you might notice is the lack of silverware on the table. This is because traditional Ethiopian food is eaten with your hands. While there have been other countries we have tried that also eat with their hands, today we were up for the challenge. The proper way to eat is using the injera to pick up the food. Once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty easy and enjoyable.
Speaking of injera, I had the best intentions to actually make it, but it wasn’t in the cards. I went to a local Ethiopian restaurant to buy it instead. While waiting, the owner of the restaurant and I began chatting, and I mentioned I was planning to make it but time got away from me. She said I made a good choice to buy it because the process is intense! Nonetheless, I really liked injera. I had a slightly sour taste but paired perfectly with everything on the plate.
The asa tibs (center) were absolutely delicious! I used cod for the first in this recipe, and I air-fried them until golden brown. They were a bit flaky in the air fryer, but they were still very good. Though I feel like I’ve always had restaurants provide lemons for seafood, I have really enjoyed Around the world recipes that have used limes to complete the taste.
On the top left, we have alicha ater kik, a yellow split pea stew. Another simple yet delicious dish that gave me creamed corn vibes. It was good by itself or with the injera.
On the top right, we had the gomen wat. These collard greens are in a league of their own! The spices in the recipe paired very well with one another even though one might not expect them to.
On the bottom left, we had atkilt wat, a cabbage stew. I know I’m repeating myself, but this was yet another delicious dish! It had cabbage, carrots, potatoes and onions which may sound like your traditional cabbage soup, but the spices really made this dish amazing. It was also very quick and easy to make.
Finally, we have shiro wat, another stew with chickpea flour and spices. If you like spicy food, this is for you! While I am growing to love spicy food, this was a bit too spicy for me and a lot too spicy for Donnell.
Beverages: Tej
To accompany dinner, we had tej, an Ethiopian honey wine. I also purchased this at my local Ethiopian restaurant. Though it is a honey wine, I didn’t find it to be too sweet. It did have a unique flavor that I really enjoyed.
Final Reflection:
We both loved Ethiopia! The food had so much flavor and all of the dishes paired well with one another. It was a great way to celebrate one year of Around the World in Quarantine.
Though this chapter may be complete, we’re not finished! Stay tuned for more as we bring you Around the World [no Quarantine].
