Ethiopian cuisine is known for its distinct flavors and unique ingredients, blending influences from Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. If you're looking to explore this vibrant culinary tradition, several excellent cookbooks can guide you. Here's a look at some recommended Ethiopian cookbooks that cater to various tastes and skill levels.
Exploring Traditional Ethiopian Cookbooks
For those keen on learning how to prepare authentic Ethiopian dishes, several cookbooks offer a quick and accessible introduction to the cuisine. These books often include popular dishes such as:
- Doro Wat: Chicken curry stew
- Injera: Flat bread used instead of silverware
- Kitfo: Raw beef
- Azifa: Lentil salad
- Niter Kibbeh: Seasoned clarified butter
- Berbere: A seasoning blend used in many dishes
These cookbooks, while sometimes lacking professional editing and high-quality illustrations, provide a solid foundation for understanding Ethiopian cooking.
Berbere is a key ingredient in Ethiopian cuisine. It is made throughout Ethiopia and Eritrea yet is compounded in as many subtle varieties as there are grandmothers who cook the cuisine. It blends some flavours from India and others from the Maghreb. Typical mixtures include chili peppers, coriander, garlic, ginger, basil, korarima, rue, ajwain or radhuni, nigella, and fenugreek.
The food of Ethiopia is very similar to the food of Eritrea (which was part of Ethiopia until 1991) and, to a lesser degree, to Somalia. There is even an Ethiopian version of baklavah. And there are some great flavours awaiting the adventuresome eater.
Read also: Ethiopian Cuisine: Philadelphia Guide
"Teff Love": A Vegan Ethiopian Cookbook
For those interested in vegan cuisine, "Teff Love" by Kittee Berns offers a delightful exploration of vegan Ethiopian dishes. This cookbook provides detailed instructions for making injera, including the sourdough starter (ersho). It also includes recipes for dishes like:
- Blueberry-Cinnamon Sourdough Pancakes
- Ye’Difin Misser Sambusas - crunchy, lentil-stuffed pastries with a chickpea flour crust.
- Garlic Jojos - delicious garlicky potato wedges with Ethiopian spices.
- Ye’shimbra Asa Wot [chickpea-flour crackers in a spicy wine sauce]
- Telba Wot [a rich, spicy sauce made from toasted, ground flaxseeds]
- Ye’souf Fitfit [torn injera soaked in seasoned sunflower seed sauce]
One of the central ingredients of all dishes in Teff Love is Ye’qimem Zeyet - a fragrant oil blend infused with various spices. However, if you abstain from using oil in your cooking, all is not lost: a lot of dishes from the book come out just fine when you skip oil.
Tips from Kittee Berns for making Ethiopian feasts:
- Make the seasoned oil and berbere ahead of time.
- Prep garlic and ginger in advance.
- Use a food processor to mince onions.
- The stews keep well stored in the fridge, so make one dish, plus salad and keep the leftovers for the following day.
Vegan Ethiopian Feast
"Ethiopia" by Yohanis Gebreyesus
Chef Yohanis Gebreyesus' cookbook, "Ethiopia," is a James Beard Award winner that seeks to spread love for the country’s cuisine. It features a wide array of dishes, including:
Read also: Authentic Ethiopian Cuisine
- Doro Wat (chicken stewed with berbere spice)
- Siga Tibs (flash-fried beef)
- Asa Shorba (hearty spiced fish soup)
- Gomen (collard greens with ginger and garlic)
- Azifa (green lentil salad)
- Dinich Alicha (potatoes and carrots in an onion turmeric sauce)
In extensive head notes and side bars, Gebreyesus weaves Ethiopian history and culture between his recipes, acknowledging influences ancient and contemporary. We're impressed by the emphasis on regional and ethnic differences in local foods, as well as by the fact that the range of recipes seems to go far beyond what's commonly seen on US restaurant menus. Cabbage rolls with lamb tongue; flaxseed and banana purée served with fresh fruit; scalloped potatoes with smoked milk; green coffee beans cooked in butter, which are usually eaten as a snack.
Marcus Samuelsson's Ethiopian-Swedish Fusion
How to Make Ethiopian Injera- Ferment Teff Flour
Marcus Samuelsson is an Ethiopian chef raised in Sweden. His cuisine combines the two. He focuses mostly on “American style“ African American food but he riffs on Ethiopian, too. In a more accessible way. He has 3 or 4 cookbooks out.
His unique approach blends Ethiopian culinary traditions with Swedish influences, offering a modern twist on classic dishes. While sourcing ingredients like teff for injera can be challenging, Samuelsson's cookbooks provide accessible recipes that introduce Ethiopian flavors in an "American style."
Table: Recommended Ethiopian Cookbooks
| Cookbook Title | Author | Focus | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ethiopian Cookbook: Traditional Ethiopian Recipes Made Easy | Anonymous | Traditional | Quick beginnings for learning classic dishes |
| Ethiopian Cuisine: A Complete Cookbook of Colorful, Exotic Dishes | Angel Burns | Traditional | Colorful and exotic recipes |
| Taste of Africa: 50 Most Popular and Delicious Ethiopian Recipes | Julia Chiles | Traditional | Popular and delicious recipes |
| Teff Love | Kittee Berns | Vegan | Detailed instructions for injera, vegan stews |
| Ethiopia | Yohanis Gebreyesus | Traditional | Wide array of dishes, cultural insights |
| [Cookbook Title] | Marcus Samuelsson | Fusion | Ethiopian-Swedish fusion, accessible recipes |
Whether you're a seasoned chef or a beginner, these cookbooks offer a gateway to the rich and diverse world of Ethiopian cuisine. From traditional stews to vegan delights and modern fusions, there's something for every palate to explore and enjoy.
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