Are you ready to learn and experience the delicious foods and recipes of Eritrea? YES! Now it's about time to learn about Eritrean food practicies, recipes, and some key phrases in Eritrea's native language, Tigrinya. Come with me on the journey of a lifetime as we explore a country of hidden mysteries..
Usual meal
pattern: Three times a day. Breakfast is very light, lunch
and dinner are the major meals. Usually prefer food very spicy.
Special Utensils: Usual
mode of eating Eritrean food is with fingers; however, silverware is used for
other types of food.
Food beliefs and rituals: Prefer warm and soothing
foods when ill such as chicken or beef soups, hot oat gruel with honey, hot tea,
hot milk. No ice or cold drinks.
Usual diet: Usual diet consists of "Taita"
or "enjera", a type of bread or pancake eaten with a meat or legume
sauce or stew walled "Tsebhi" or "zigni." Taita is made
mostly from cereal called "Taff"; however a mixture of cereals can be
used to make taita. Legumes are an important part of the diet and are largely
prepared in the form of stew or wot. Stew usually is very spicy and contains a
variety of condiments, including onions, garlic, berbere (hot chili powder with
other spices, cardamom, white and black cumin, basil, ginger, etc.).
Fruits and vegetables are not commonly eaten, except in some of the larger towns
and during the period of religious fasting.
Fluids: Generally not enough water is consumed.
Most prefer drinks at room temperature. Like to drink coffee and spice tea with
cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and lots of sugar.
Food prohibitions: There are considerable numbers
of food avoidances that persist among different ethnic, social, occupational,
religious, age, and gender groups. Coptic Orthodox Christians and Moslems
strictly observed religious taboos that forbid eating meat of
wild animals, wild foul, snakes, wild and domestic pigs, dogs, horses, and
shellfish. Coptic Christians do not eat meat or dairy for 200 days of each year.
Food prescriptions. Preferences are chicken or beef soups, noodles and pasta,
traditional hot oat gruel with honey. Most do not like bland foods.
Source: UC Davis Health System.Center for
continuing nursing and medical
education.
Eritrean Recipes
Enjoy the treasure's of Eritreans delicious food and recipes. We eat a variety of food most of which based on Taita or Ingera a flat bread similar to pancake or flat bread. It is eaten with many different types of Tsebhis ( sauces). Shiro, Zegni, and Dorho are among the popular ones.
Title: Alicha
Categories: Meats
Yield: 6 servings
1 c Onions; sliced
2 tb Corn oil
2 lb Meat with bone; beef, lamb
-or goat, cut in 3 inch
-pieces
2 cl Garlic; sliced
1 ts Salt; to taste
1 ea Fresh hot green chili;
-sliced
1/4 ts Gingerroot; crushed, fresh
1/4 ts Mustard seeds; crushed
1/4 ts Caraway; crushed
1/4 ts Tumeric; ground
1 1/2 c Water
Alicha is a curry-like meal.
In dry pan over medium heat, stir fry onions for 2 mins. Add the oil
and stir fry 1 minute longer. Add the meat and brown 5 mins, stirring
frequently.
Add all of the spices and seasonings at one time and stir well. Add
the water and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over moderate
heat for about 45 mins, or until the meat is tender. Should the
curry dry out too quickly, add another 1/2c water. At the end of the
45 mins, there should be very little sauce.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Eritrean Vegetable Bowl
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : African Vegetables
Eritrean
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 large onions
4 large carrots
3 potatos
1/4 white cabbage
1/4 cup oil
1 head garlic
1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 Teaspoon turmeric
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1 Teaspoon salt
4 cups water
This recipe is common to the Eritreans. My understanding is that these are
NOT unique to them. Peel all vegetables , cut into small cubes. peel and mash
the garlic. Heat oil in a large pan and add vegetables. cover and saute 2-3 minutes.
Add the ginger, turmeric, pepper and salt and mix well. Add the water , stir and
cook over very low flame for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot.
* Exported from MasterCook *
Recipe By : Gad S. Sheaffer (gss@iil.intel.com)
Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : African Vegetables
Eritrean
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1/2 kilogram dry green peas
3 large onions
1/2 cup oil
1 head garlic
1/2 Teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
1 Teaspoon salt
3 cups water
Soak the peas in tap water for 20 minutes. Peel the onions and cut into small
cubes. Peel and mash the garlic. Heat the oil in a pan and sauté the onion and
garlic until golden. Add the ginger, pepper and salt and 2 cups water. Stir well,
cover and bring to boil. When the water boil, add the peas and the rest of the
water and cook 40 minutes on a medium-low flame. Serve hot Gad.
* Exported from MasterCook *
Recipe By : The Frugal Gourmet on our Immigrant Ancestors, Jeff Smith
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Reg 4 Sheryl D
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 Lbs Frying Chicken Cut Into 8 Pieces
Juice Of One Lime
5 Cups Thinly Sliced Red Onions
1/2 Cup Spiced Butter -- * See Note
1/2 Cup Berbere Sauce -- * See Note
1/2 Cup Dry Red Wine
2 Cloves Garlic -- Crushed
2 Tsp Cayenne
1/2 Tsp Grated Fresh Ginger
1/2 Cup Water
Salt To Taste
4 Hard Boiled Eggs -- Peeled
1/2 Tsp freshly ground
This was my first taste of Eritrean food - loved this so much that it has led me to
try other Eritrean recipes. Marinate the chicken pieces in the lime juice for hour. In a heavy saucepan
sauté the onions in 2 tbsp of the spiced butter. Cover the pot and cook the
onions over low heat until they are very tender but not browned.
Add the remaining butter to the pot along with the Berbere sauce, wine, garlic,
cayenne and ginger. Add 1/2 cup of water and mix well. Bring to a simmer and
add the chicken pieces. Cook, covered, for 30-40 minutes or until the chicken
is tender, adding more water as necessary to keep the sauce from drying out.
When the chicken is tender, add salt to taste. Add the eggs and heat through.
Top with the black pepper prior to serving. *note - recipes for the spiced butter and Berbere sauce are included in this
group of recipes
* Exported from MasterCook *
Recipe By : The African News Cookbook
Serving Size : 1 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Breads With Yeast African
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 tablespoon Active dry yeast
1/4 cup Warm water
2 tablespoons Ground coriander
1 teaspoon Ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon White pepper
1 teaspoon Ground fenugreek
2 teaspoons Salt
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups Lukewarm water
5 cups Unbleached flour
1 tablespoon Cayenne
2 tablespoons Oil
1/4 teaspoon Ground ginger
1 pinch Ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon
Dissolve the yeast in warm water for 10 minutes. Add the coriander, cinnamon,
white pepper, fenugreek, salt, oil and lukewarm water, and stir well. Slowly
add the flour until a mass forms. On a floured board, knead the dough for 10
minutes or until it is smooth and tiny bubbles form. (note: this recipe makes
a stickier dough than usual)
Reserve a 1-inch piece of dough. With floured hands spread the dough out on an un-greased pizza pan. Using a sharp knife, score the dough in a design similar to the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Place the reserved ball of dough in the center of the scored dough. Cover and let rise one hour. Bake at 350F for an hour or until golden brown. Combine the topping
ingredients in a small bowl. While still warm brush the bread with topping. Yield: 1 16-inch loaf. "The African News Cookbook"
jam and tomato sauce from a makeshift
factory in Durfo, Wina and Nakfa, his heart often was on his lost, culinary
work. It was not until 1984 that he was reunited with his manuscript, which was
found in the dusty depths of the Logistics Office of the EPLF, five years later
and several miles away from where he was stationed. Seizing it triumphantly he
took it home to amend and edit, adding from the copious notes he had made in the
field. Although fried snake and boj-boj , ad hoc features of the fighter menu,
do not feature as traditional foods in his newly-published book, swa and Imchek
have not been forgotten in Abba Yissak's Neke dem Belu. Further feasts are yours
to discover - and hopefully it won't be long before "Neke dem Belu" is translated
into English so that foreign guests can see that there is more to Eritrea than
injera, shiro and ziggni.