| Eritrean Cuisine | |
| Parts of Eritrea are very fertile and produce good crops of cereals, vegetables, fruit and a wide range of Red Sea fish. Most meals are eaten at a low table, with the hands. Before eating, one of the women of the household will bring a basin of water where to wash the hands. | |
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| People
eat together, sharing the food.
The two staples are kitcha, which is a very thin, baked unleavened wheat bread or pancake and injera, a spongy pancake made from Teff, wheat and/or barley, maize or sorghum. The grains are ground up, made into a watery dough and then left to ferment for a couple of days before being fried or baked. Injera is eaten with stew, usually called zigni, made from whatever is available (meat or fish, vegetables or a combination of the two). It is simmered for hours, in a tomato sauce spiced with berbere, chili powder and other spices. Tsebhi or qkoolewaa is a meat sauté prepared with lamb or beef, fresh tomatoes and hot peppers. Some Eritreans cannot afford a meat-based diet and they eat shiro a chickpea porridge made in many different ways with the injera. Alitcha Birsen is a lentil curry. When it is served several injera are usually put on a tray and the stew poured into the middle. You break of bits of injera and scoop up the stew. People eat together, sharing the food. Your host will be delighted when you show your appreciation with the word tu’um, (delicious). Eat with your right hand only and don’t touch your lips with your fingers or lick your fingers. The national beverages are called Suwa, a beer-like alcoholic drink, mies, a fermented honey drink, and Zebib, a locally made anise-flavored liquor similar to Ouzo. Espresso and tea, always served with a lot of sugar, are very popular. Blended banana, mango, or papaya juices are also very common in the major cities. |
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