Last Wednesday Lyle and I drove out to Vancouver to learn how to mix Injera batter. After an hour long drive, we had our five minute lesson. Yup, that's all it took. The hard part about it is they don't use measuring cups. Everything is a little of this and a little of that. But, we seemed to have it down pretty fast. After mixing the Injera batter we set it aside as it needs to ferment for three days. We then had a great opportunity to learn how to cook Doro Tibs and Selata.
I guess I should stop now and explain a couple things. Selata is salad. A very delicious dressing that I've been begging to know how to make. Doro Tibs is a chicken dish. Probably Lyle's and my favorite dish. Doro means Chicken. Injera is a bread. It's like a thick crepe and looks like a sponge. When eating Ethiopian, you do not use utensils. You rip off a piece of Injera, grab a bite of food and shove it in your mouth.
On Saturday I returned to the restaurant with one of my great friends. Lyle had to work so he was unfortunately doing without. We completed mixing the Injera, enjoyed a traditional coffee ceremony and visited for a while. The Injera had to rise for an hour. Much to Lyle's dismay, I didn't drink any coffee. I stuck to my water. I don't like coffee to begin with. This coffee ... the spoon could have stood straight up. When it came to cooking the Injera, some of the neighboring people decided to join in to watch. After a few misshaped pieces, I finally got the art of creating perfectly circular Injera. It was great. My freezer is now full. I made authentic Ethiopian Injera using Teff flour and all! Better yet, I can now make it at home all on my own. So much easier than I ever expected.
The owners of the restaurant have grown to be great friends over the past ten months. Their 8-year old daughter is a joy to be around. I just love having fun with her. When in Addis, Lyle and I will spend at least one day with their son that still lives there. He is a luggage customs officer at the airport in Addis. He's going to take to some of the sites, and to some places to shop for souvenirs and gifts. We're really blessed knowing we'll have this opportunity while in Addis. The family is also going to mix up some of the authentic Berbere spice, nitter butter and a few other things to bring back so I can cook with their flavors. They really are unique.
I guess I should stop now and explain a couple things. Selata is salad. A very delicious dressing that I've been begging to know how to make. Doro Tibs is a chicken dish. Probably Lyle's and my favorite dish. Doro means Chicken. Injera is a bread. It's like a thick crepe and looks like a sponge. When eating Ethiopian, you do not use utensils. You rip off a piece of Injera, grab a bite of food and shove it in your mouth.
On Saturday I returned to the restaurant with one of my great friends. Lyle had to work so he was unfortunately doing without. We completed mixing the Injera, enjoyed a traditional coffee ceremony and visited for a while. The Injera had to rise for an hour. Much to Lyle's dismay, I didn't drink any coffee. I stuck to my water. I don't like coffee to begin with. This coffee ... the spoon could have stood straight up. When it came to cooking the Injera, some of the neighboring people decided to join in to watch. After a few misshaped pieces, I finally got the art of creating perfectly circular Injera. It was great. My freezer is now full. I made authentic Ethiopian Injera using Teff flour and all! Better yet, I can now make it at home all on my own. So much easier than I ever expected.
The owners of the restaurant have grown to be great friends over the past ten months. Their 8-year old daughter is a joy to be around. I just love having fun with her. When in Addis, Lyle and I will spend at least one day with their son that still lives there. He is a luggage customs officer at the airport in Addis. He's going to take to some of the sites, and to some places to shop for souvenirs and gifts. We're really blessed knowing we'll have this opportunity while in Addis. The family is also going to mix up some of the authentic Berbere spice, nitter butter and a few other things to bring back so I can cook with their flavors. They really are unique.
3 comments:
What a great cooking lesson! Are you willing to travel to Calgary to teach us how to make injera? Yum!! I love that you're good friends with the restaurant owners and will see their son in Addis! What a global community!!
Gina
hey, that sounds like GREAT fun!!
i wouldn't mind lessons either...haha :)
congrats guys! whoooo!
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