Ben Dearnley
The foundations of Ethiopian food are onion, garlic and Ethiopian chilli (also known as berbere), says Saba Alemayoh, owner of the now-closed Saba’s Ethiopian Restaurant in Fitzroy, Melbourne. “But Ethiopian chilli is not just ground-up chilli – it’s an intricate mix of spices passed from mother to daughter. Depending on who is making it, it can have anywhere from 15 to 50 different spices,” she adds.
Ethiopian chilli, which is more of an aromatic than a hot spice, is used generously in the Alemayoh’s recipes. The dishes are inspired by the menu at her restaurant, which was created and cooked by Alemayoh’s mother, head chef Tekebash Gebre.
Getting Gebre’s traditional Ethiopian recipes down on paper required some careful observation. “Like all great cooks, my mother follows no recipes but is a slave to her taste buds for measurements and adjustments,” says Alemayoh. “I have watched her closely – hopefully it hasn’t turned into Chinese whispers!”
As well as Ethiopian chilli, Ethiopian food features many other spices and aromats, such as garlic, ginger, fenugreek, nigella seeds and dried red onion, which make the overall flavours more rounded and complex. Most of these recipes are vegetable-based because the majority of the Orthodox Christian community in Ethiopia eats exclusively vegan for much of the year; however, Alemayoh’s best Ethiopian recipes also include a couple of spicy meat dishes, reflective of how the community eats post-Lent.
“Ethiopian cuisine’s development was influenced by availability and faith,” says Alemayoh. “The non-colonial history of the nation meant that it developed in a vacuum, a unique cuisine, reliant on spices and slow-cooking methods.”
Typically, Ethiopian food is designed to share, so these dishes are recommended as part of a feast, but work just as well on their own. Whichever way you choose to eat them, Alemayoh believes they provide a snapshot of her Ethiopian culture. “Food is not only sustenance,” she says. “It tells the stories below the surface.”
A note on injera: Ethiopian flatbread
Ethiopian food revolves around injera, a fermented savoury pancake made with teff flour. At Saba’s, they made their own, but you can source them from select Ethiopian bakeries. We’ve found that a buckwheat version works well and has great flavour. Combine 1 cup each of teff flour and buckwheat flour with 2 cups water, then set aside to ferment for 1-2 days (this is optional and adds a light sourness).
To cook the injera, heat a little oil in a non-stick frying pan over high heat, then add ¼ cup of batter per serve and swirl around the pan to thinly coat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until injera is cooked through (1-2 minutes). Flip the pancake to cook the other side (20 seconds). Alternatively you can use Lebanese-style flatbread, or serve with a side of basmati rice.
6 traditional Ethiopian recipes to try
Dinish
Dinish (potato, cabbage and carrots)
“Dinish is also called alicha, a name used for mild Ethiopian dishes in general,” says Saba Alemayoh. “This dish is made for people that may have a lower spice tolerance or for young children, but also as an accompaniment to spicier dishes.”
Derek tibs
Derek tibs (beef short ribs with capsicum)
“Ethiopians are serious about their meat,” says Alemayoh. “This comes from the fact that many go vegan for a great part of the year for religious practice. There are restaurants that specialise in making this dish and nothing else.”
Hamli (braised greens)
“This is a winter staple in Ethiopia,” says Alemayoh. “Hamli is a green vegetable that grows all over the countryside come winter time. It’s called Chinese broccoli in Australia.”
Birsen (red split lentils)
“Legumes are a big part of Ethiopian cooking, and my favourite legume dish of all is birsen, also known as mesir in Amharic,” says Alemayoh. “My mother says short-cutting the washing process will give you indigestion. It also gives the lentils an earthy flavour, which you want to avoid.”
Bamya (lamb and okra)
“My mother incorporates Sudanese dishes into her repertoire and this is one of them,” says Alemayoh. “Okra is an undervalued vegetable in Australia. It is popular in African, Middle Eastern and Asian cooking. This dish goes well with rice and a fresh salad.”
Shy ben laben (white spiced tea)
Shy ben laben (white spiced tea)
“This is like a chai latte, but so much better,” says Alemayoh. “It’s a great winter warmer, especially with a splash of Amarula – a liqueur from South Africa that has lovely earthy flavours.”
Saba’s Ethiopian Restaurant closed in October, 2020. Recipes by Saba Alemayoh, introduction by Michael Harden
Note
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
