Dinner In Harrar

                                                                             

  

AZIFA (SPICED GREEN LENTILS)

(Serves 6-8)

1 1/2 cups washed green lentils

1/4 cup lime juice

Sea salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 green or red bell pepper, chopped

1-2 green chili peppers, seeded and

 chopped

2 cups chopped red onions

1 tablespoon Colman’s English hot mustard (in

 powder form.

1tbsp. vegetable oil
1/3 cup wine vinegar

Boil the lentils in 3 to 4 cups water for 20 to 30 minutes until tender. Test to ensure that lentils are al dente tender, but not overcooked. 

Drain, put in a mixing bowl, and mash, but do not puree. (You need to preserve the texture of the lentils). 

Combine with the rest of the ingredients. Adjust spices to taste.

Refrigerate for several hours until the flavors of spices, vegetables and lentils blend. Serve cold or at room temperature

YEGOMEN KITFO (COLLARDS WITH SPICED COTTAGE CHEESE

For the cottage cheese:

12 oz. cottage cheese

1/3 cup niter kebbeh (see below)

2 garlic cloves, slightly crushed

1/4 tsp. ground cardamom

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

For the greens:

2 lbs. collards, chopped

2 tbsp. chili pepper, finely chopped

1 tbsp. fresh ginger, grated

1 tsp. garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. ground cardamom

1/4 cup niter kebbeh

2 tbsp. onion, finely chopped

Mix the first group of ingredients together and let the flavors combine at room temperature for 15 minutes.  Remove the garlic cloves if desired.

In several tbsp. of water, steam collards for about 20 minutes.  Add the rest of the second group of ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Serve the collards and cottage cheese mixture in separate dishes or spoon greens over cottage cheese in one large bowl.

NITER KEBBEH (CLARIFIED BUTTER WITH SPICES)

1 lb. butter

4 tbsp. onion, chopped

1 1/2 tbsp. finely chopped garlic

2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated

1/2 tsp. turmeric

2-4 cardamom seeds, crushed

1 inch piece cinammon

2-3 whole cloves

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Slowly melt the butter in a saucepan, then bring to the boil.  When the top is covered with foam, add the other ingredients and simmer uncovered on lowest heat until the surface is transparent and milk solids are on the bottom (45-60 minutes).  Pour off the clear liquid and strain through a double layer of cheesecloth, discarding the spices and solids. Refrigerate.  If strained a second and third time, mixture will keep well either chilled or at room temperature for 2-3 months.

INJERA (FLAT BREAD)

4 cups self-rising flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cups club soda

Combine flours and baking powder in a bowl.  Add club soda plus about 4 cups water.  Mix into a smooth, fairly thin batter.

Heat a large, non-stick skillet. When a drop of water bounces  on the pan's surface, dip enough batter from the bowl to cover the bottom of the skillet, and pour it in quickly, all at once.  Swirl the pan so that the entire bottom is evenly coated, then set it back on the heat.

When the moisture has evaporated and small holes appear on the surface, remove the injera. It should be cooked on only one side and not browned. If your first try is too pasty and undercooked, you may need to cook it a little longer or make the next one thinner.  But as with French crepes, be careful not to cook them too long or you will have a crisp bread that may be tasty but won't fold around bits of stew.

Stack the injera one on top of the other as you cook, covering with a clean cloth to prevent their drying out.  To serve, lay them on a platter in overlapping concentric circles, beginning with the inside and moving outwards until edges of the outer ring fall over the edge.

The Ge'ez script