Ethiopian Eating

Chechebsah

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Thank you Karyn Bridges for this great recipe! About this Recipe: Chechebsah

"If you’ve been to Ethiopia or have Ethiopian friends in your country then you’ve probably shared a meal or two. You’ve likely had lunch or dinner together and most definitely have shared a conversation over coffee. But what do Ethiopians eat for breakfast? Ethiopians eat a variety of food for breakfast including scrambled eggs full of onions, tomatoes and hot peppers, fir fir (injera pieces mixed with Berbere), pasta with sauce, bread and of course tea or coffee with sugar - among other things. However, Chechebsah, a traditional Ethiopian breakfast food, is a family favorite in our house. Rosa, a friend and former house worker for both Ethiopian Bridges’ families, taught Jessica how to prepare the dish and Jessica has since passed it on to me. It may seem a little complicated but it really is quite simple and very delicious. Give it a try and let us know how you like it."

Ingredients: 4 cups of flour 3 cups of water ½ cup of oil 1 T of Berbere ¼ to ½ cup of honey Salt A Skillet A pot

Directions: Place 4 cups of flour in a large bowl. Add 3 cups of water and mix together - lumps are okay. Heat a skillet over medium high heat. (If using a stainless or cast iron skillet then add a little oil to keep the batter from sticking. If using a non-stick skillet then there is no need for oil.)

Place approximately ½ cup of batter on the skillet and spread it into a circle. Make the batter thinner than a pancake but not as thin as a tortilla. You can use a fork or a spoon to spread the batter BUT a baking spatula works best.

Flip the “tortilla” thingies a couple of times. The batter should make about 5 – 6 “tortilla” thingies. The last “tortilla” thingy may be considerably smaller than the others. That is no problem. Just use all the batter. Tear the “tortillas” into bite sized pieces and set aside.

In large pot, heat ½ cup of oil over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add 1 T of Berbere (more or less depending on how spicy you prefer) to the oil. Then add ¼ to ½ cup of honey to the oil. Whisk together well and cook approximately one minute. It should be bubbly.

Then, add the “tortilla” pieces to the oil, Berbere, and honey and mix until well coated. Sprinkle with salt and mix well again. Cook until all the oil is cooked off from the bottom of the pan.

You can also dip the pieces in additional honey or yogurt for a tasty treat.

ENJOY!

To learn more about Ethiopian cooking, recipes, or food talk in general from Karyn, follow our blog.

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