Blog post #13

Planning My Immersion into Real Ethiopian Food

It is not merely sampling the food, but understanding the culture, history, and tradition behind each and every dish. Before I venture into this food heaven, I want to share with you the experience of my planning, study, and testing real Ethiopian food. Before tasting or cooking, I must know the origins of Ethiopian food. This will mean learning the primary ingredients, traditional methods of cooking, and cultural significance of foods like injera, doro wat, and shiro. Ill be reading cookbooks, watching documentaries, and maybe even interviewing people who have first-hand experience of Ethiopian food. Much of this will be a matter of seeking out authentic ingredients. Ethiopian food is renowned for containing pungent spices such as berbere and mitmita and staple crops such as teff flour. I will visit nearby Ethiopian bazaars or ethnic shops in order to gather these ingredients and learn about how they are applied. Before cooking these dishes for myself, I would prefer trying them as they should be enjoyed. Ill be visiting Ethiopian restaurants to taste traditional fare, record flavors and textures, and observe presentation of the food. After gaining a solid basis, Ill begin cooking Ethiopian dishes at home. Ill document my progress, from scratch-making injera to the mastery of the slow-cooked richness of a wat (stew). Ill expect some pitfalls along the way, but thats all part of learning! Along the way, Ill be sharing my experiences, recipes, and musings on my blog. Whether its a success of a dish or a lesson learned from a cooking failure, I want to share my journey with my readers. This entry is the beginning of my journey into Ethiopian cuisine, and Im excited to see where this path takes me. Tune in for more as I discover the flavors and traditions of Ethiopia!

Sources: https://migrationology.com/ethiopian-food-guide/