How to Eat Ethiopian Food

When it comes to ethnic foods you usually have to bid farewell to the traditional knife and fork, at least if you want to get an authentic experience. Asian food uses chop sticks, Indian food has naan bread and Ethiopian food is eaten with Injera. Here's how you eat Ethiopian food the way it's supposed to be eaten.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clean hands

1. 
   Here's your plate and utensil.

   Ethiopian food is served on top of a type of flat bread called injera. It's kind of spongy in texture and has sort of a sourdough taste to it. It's traditionally made out of a grain called tef, but unless you're in Ethiopia it's probably mixed out with flour and buckwheat because tef is hard to get anywhere else.

2. Before you even start thinking about munching on the food in front of you, make sure your hands are clean. Especially if you're eating with other people. Ethiopian food is served on one big platter and you'll be eating off the same plate as the others at your table, so a little table manners is appreciated.

3. 
   This is a good size to tear off

   The food will be served on top of the injera, but you'll also have extra on the side to pick up the food with. Start by tearing off a piece of injera. Usually half the size of your palm is good enough, maybe a little less even. As long as you can scoop up enough food, you're in good shape.

4. 
   Scoop and score!

   Choose which dish you want to try and scoop up some with the injera. Don't overdo it. It's not so nice sitting across from someone who has food falling out of his/her hand or mouth and back onto the tray. Try each dish by itself first so you can tell which ones you like and don't like. But after that, go ahead and mix and match as much as you like!

5. 
   Open wide.

   If you are on a date or dining with someone you really like, scoop up some food and feed them. This is an Ethiopian tradition called "gursha." It's basically an act of kindness and respect towards the other person.

6. Know what you eat. The menu at an Ethiopian restaurant is usually written with the names in Amharic (the main Ethiopian language) but has English translations. If they don't for some reason, ask the waiter what the dishes are. Common entrees are: Wot's (stews), they can be vegetarian or have meat; vegetable dishes; and meat dishes. Some are spicy, some are not. Always ask if you're not sure.

7. After you've finished most of the food, try eating the bottom injera. By that time all the juices from the different dishes are soaked up in it and it tastes great!

8. After you're done, go wash your hands and order an Ethiopian coffee or tea. You'll probably won't have room for dessert.

Tips & Warnings

• If combination platters are available, try them out so you can sample different things to see what you like more.
• Ethiopian restaurants are abundant in Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and New York.
• If you see a restaurant with the Ethiopian flag (green, yellow and red), it's probably got some Ethiopian food in there, go inside and find out.
• Don't go crazy on the injera, it tends to fill you up quite fast.

[abyssinia]

on 2/13/2009 Great aricle, nice illustrations... I enjoyed reading it and couldn't think of anything else to add.