Eritrean fare in town
AS we were getting used to the diversity of the seafood at the Serena Hotel and the international buffets at the Pyramid and Spectrum restaurants, a revolving restaurant at the Golf Course Hotel emerged.
By Roger Mugisha
AS we were getting used to the diversity of the seafood at the Serena Hotel and the international buffets at the Pyramid and Spectrum restaurants, a revolving restaurant at the Golf Course Hotel emerged.
Now, as if that is not enough, former Fusion 9 along Acacia Avenue is now home to the Space, an Eritrean restaurant.
Essentially, the Eritrean menu is to some a copy-and-paste of the Ethiopian cuisine (given the history of the two countries), it does however have dishes that are distinct.
The Injera, a spongy pancake made from teff (without sugar or salt) is almost the only similarity between the Eriterian and Ethiopian cuisine. To be able to eat Injera one tears off pieces of it and dips them into the stew.
The stews eaten with Injera are usually beef, chicken, mutton or vegetables. Their sizzler (dishes served on a hot thick metal plate) equivalent, zil zil tibs (beef mixed with butter and served on a hot clay sigiri) is quite popular.
Most Eritreans, with the exception of the Saho (an Eriterian tribe), like their food hot and spicy.
Berbere, a kind of dried chili pepper, accompanies almost all dishes. I tried it out but it is certainly hotter than ordinary chilli, so tread carefully.
Even more surprising is that they have mixed platter options as well. The vegetable option will comprise splint peas, lentils, chick peas, cabbage, collard greens and salad.
The non-vegetarian one has succulent portions of beef, goat and chicken served with Indian naan bread, rice and chapatti. The option is, without doubt, a more engaging choice.
For stews, one could have the zigni, which is made with beef; dorho tsebhi made with chicken; alicha which is made without berbere; and shiro, a puree of various legumes.
The coffee ceremony is the most unique aspect to their cuisine.
The coffee is brewed first by roasting the beans over hot coals and as they cook, guests are given an opportunity to sample the aromatic scent by wafting it towards them.
The beans are then ground and put into a jebena—a special spherical vessel with a long neck-pouring spout. The host then pours the coffee into small cups. called Finjal.
AS we were getting used to the diversity of the seafood at the Serena Hotel and the international buffets at the Pyramid and Spectrum restaurants, a revolving restaurant at the Golf Course Hotel emerged.
Now, as if that is not enough, former Fusion 9 along Acacia Avenue is now home to the Space, an Eritrean restaurant.
Essentially, the Eritrean menu is to some a copy-and-paste of the Ethiopian cuisine (given the history of the two countries), it does however have dishes that are distinct.
The Injera, a spongy pancake made from teff (without sugar or salt) is almost the only similarity between the Eriterian and Ethiopian cuisine. To be able to eat Injera one tears off pieces of it and dips them into the stew.
The stews eaten with Injera are usually beef, chicken, mutton or vegetables. Their sizzler (dishes served on a hot thick metal plate) equivalent, zil zil tibs (beef mixed with butter and served on a hot clay sigiri) is quite popular.
Most Eritreans, with the exception of the Saho (an Eriterian tribe), like their food hot and spicy.
Berbere, a kind of dried chili pepper, accompanies almost all dishes. I tried it out but it is certainly hotter than ordinary chilli, so tread carefully.
Even more surprising is that they have mixed platter options as well. The vegetable option will comprise splint peas, lentils, chick peas, cabbage, collard greens and salad.
The non-vegetarian one has succulent portions of beef, goat and chicken served with Indian naan bread, rice and chapatti. The option is, without doubt, a more engaging choice.
For stews, one could have the zigni, which is made with beef; dorho tsebhi made with chicken; alicha which is made without berbere; and shiro, a puree of various legumes.
The coffee ceremony is the most unique aspect to their cuisine.
The coffee is brewed first by roasting the beans over hot coals and as they cook, guests are given an opportunity to sample the aromatic scent by wafting it towards them.
The beans are then ground and put into a jebena—a special spherical vessel with a long neck-pouring spout. The host then pours the coffee into small cups. called Finjal.