Spicy Grilled Fish Fillets

Fish spiced with Ethiopian chili powder (berbere).

Ingredients:

1 lb fish fillets (base, halibut, flounder, etc)
2 teaspoon hot red chili pepper powder (berbere)
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
½ cup breadcrumbs (finely crushed)
½ cup buttermilk
1 fresh lemon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
Salt to taste (if required)

Preparation:

1st Step: Cut the fish fillets in strips; squeeze the lemon; rinse the fillets with fresh lemon juice; pat dry;

2nd Step: Mix the hot red chili pepper powder; ground allspice, breadcrumbs;

3rd Step: Rub the fillets with two tablespoon of oil;

4th Step: Dip the fillets in the buttermilk and then into the breadcrumbs, covering all sides;

5th Step: On a grill rack, lay the fish fillets side by side; lightly coat the fillets with one tablespoon of oil; keep the fillets standing until coating sticks;

6th Step: In a preheat 400 oven, grill the fillets for 15 minutes or until golden brown; or in a medium heat, on a greased pan, fry the fillets turning sides, until golden brown.

Serve it warm.

4 servings

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/353533. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Bell Peppers

Ingredients:

1 lb sweet potatoes
4 bell peppers (red, yellow or orange)
1 teaspoon dry rosemary (crushed thinly)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
¼ red chili powder (berbere) or cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: Peel and rinse the sweet potatoes, cut in slices or as desired;

2nd Step: Rinse the bell peppers and cut in slices or as desired;

3nd Step: Mix the oil, chili pepper, black pepper and salt;

4th Step: Marinate the sweet potatoes and bell peppers with the mixed dressing for 2-5 minutes;

5th Step: Place the potatoes on a broiler or non-stick baking pan; sprinkle the rosemary and mix;

6th Step: In a 350 degree preheat oven, broil or bake the potatoes and peppers for 20 - 25 minutes.

Serve it hot or cold.

6 Servings

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/293582. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.

Pasta al Forno (Seared Lasagna)

Pasta al Forno (Seared Lasagna) is one of my favorite Italian dishes which I like to cook for my family and friends.

Ingredients:

14 lasagna noodles
3 cups pasta sauce (beef and tomato home-made sauce)*
¼ teaspoon oregano
1½ cup milk
A pinch of nutmeg
A pinch of garlic
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
3 medium-size eggs
2 tablespoons butter
½ lb farmers cheese (unsalted)
½ pound mozzarella (sliced)
1 cup Parmesan (grated)

Preparation:

1st Step: Prepare a white creamy sauce: mix ¼ cup water and the flour; whisk it well ; in a lower heat, stir and cook; add butter; keep stirring to avoid lumps; cook it for 2-3 minutes; add the milk, few drops at a time; add the nutmeg; a pinch of garlic; stir continuously until the sauce is smooth and creamy (7-10 minutes);

2nd Step: Cook the lasagna noodles following direction from the package. Strain the cooked noodles; separating each, place them on paper towel or baking sheet;

3rd Step: Warm the pasta sauce if it was prepared in advance; mix it with oregano;

4th Step: Break the eggs in a bowl; add one tablespoon of water, a pinch of black pepper; beat the eggs thoroughly with a fork;

5th Step: Preheat oven to 400 degree;

6th Step: In a non-stick baking pan, spread ½ cup pasta sauce and lay down (3-4) lasagna noodles depending on the baking pan;

7th Step: Over the noodles spread (a) the eggs mixture (b) creamy white sauce (c) pasta sauce (d) cheese (e) pasta sauce (f) noodles. Repeat the placing order until the noodles are finished; then, at the top, spread the pasta sauce; lay the sliced fresh mozzarella;

8th Step: Cover and bake for 40 minutes; Uncover and bake it for 10 minutes more;

9th Step: Remove from oven; Keep it outside for 5 minutes to settle before cutting.

Serving 6 persons.

*Please click here to see my recipe for Meat Pasta Sauce

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/321402. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.

Ethiopian Sunflower Seeds Juice

Sunflower Seeds Juice is a healthy and tasty drink especially for vegans and Lent observers.

My Ethiopian Cooking: Sunflower Seed Juice

Ingredients:

2 cups sunflower seeds (Suff)
Head of rue (Tena Adam) or ginger root (peeled, sliced)
honey or sugar (as required)
4 cups water

Preparation:

1st Step: rinse the sunflower seeds with cold water;

2nd Step: In a cooking pot, cover the sunflower seeds in cold water; boil for 15 minutes or until soft;

3rd Step: Strain in colander and discard the liquid; place the sunflower seeds in a food processor (blender), add 4 cups of cold water; grind and mash until all the seeds are crushed;

4th Step: Strain and pour the sunflower juice into a container; add head of rue or ginger root; cover and keep it in fridge.

5th Step: For one glass of sunflower juice, add 1 teaspoon of honey or ½ teaspoon of sugar; mix it well and drink.

P.S. Always shake the container to mix the sunflower juice before pouring into a glass.

4 Servings

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/355035. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.

Ethiopian Instant Bread (Chéchébsa or Kita Firfir)

Chéchébsa or Kita Firfir is a spiced bread; simple to prepare and delicious; served as breakfast or snack with cafe au lait (coffee with milk).

Ingredients:

1½ cups wheat flour or Teff flour
½ cup barley flour
3 tablespoons purified/clarified butter
¼ teaspoon cardamom powder (korerima)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon chili pepper powder (Berbere)
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 cups water or more

Preparation:

1st Step: Place the wheat/teff, barley flour and baking powder in a bowl; mix it well; add to the flour a small amount of water, blend it with hand, gradually adding water, kneading it well until the dough is smooth and elastic; you may use a food processor;

2nd Step: In a non-stick medium pancake pan, place the dough; make it flat to cover the pan; using fork, make some small holes; cook it in a lower heat on both sides until golden and crusty;

3rd Step: Melt the butter in a lower heat; mix with chili pepper (berbere), false cardamom, black pepper and salt;

4th Step: Remove the pan-baked bread (Kita) from the heat, cut it in very small pieces;

5th Step: Mix the melted-spiced butter and the bread pieces until well combined. Serve it hot.

Chéchébsa (Kita Firfir) is served as breakfast or snack.
Serving 3 persons.
For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.food.com/362215

Ground Beef Pasta Sauce

Simple and delicious pasta sauce which can be used as dipping sauce too.

Ingredients:

½ lb lean ground beef
2 tomatoes (diced)
1 onion (minced)
1 carrot (minced)
2 stalks celery (minced)
1 teaspoon garlic powder or minced garlic cloves
1½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
½ tablespoon tomato paste
6 oz tomato sauce
1 teaspoon chili powder (berbere) or crushed hot pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
4 bay leaves
½ teaspoon basil
1 cup water or more
Black pepper and salt to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: In a medium pot, mix the meat, onion, garlic and in a lower heat sauté for 5 minutes;

2nd Step: To the cooking meat, add the celery, fresh tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, chili powder or crushed pepper, paprika, carrot; in a lower heat, stir well for 5 minutes;

3rd Step: Add to the sauce, water, bay leaves and basil; cook the sauce for 20 minutes or until simmers;

4th Step: Add black pepper and salt; mix well; remove from heat.

Serve it warm with pasta or rice. Keep it in fridge.

6 Servings.

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/354096. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.

Ethiopian Mild Split Lentil Stew

Simple to cook, mild and tasty dish for vegans and lent observers.

My Ethiopian Cooking: Mild Split Lentil Stew (Yemser Alicha)

Ingredients:

1 cup split lentils
3 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
1 onion (thinly chopped)
5 ½ cups water
¼ teaspoon turmeric or curry *
4 fresh garlic cloves (diced) or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon ginger powder or 1 teaspoon fresh ginger root juice
¼ teaspoon white pepper powder or black pepper
1 hot green pepper(seeded, sliced)
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: Bring to boil 4 cups of water in a medium pot. Rinse the lentils with fresh water and add to it. Cook it for 5 minutes;

2nd Step: Remove the foam with spoon and discard. Lightly drain the extra water in a container or a cup;

3rd Step: Meanwhile sauté the onion with ½ cup of water and oil for 5 minutes or until tender;

4th Step: To the cooked onion, add ½ cup of water, garlic, ginger, white pepper, curry or turmeric. Stir for 5 minutes;

5th Step: Combine the lentils and the sauce. Mix well. If more water needed, use the water which is set aside. Cook the Stew for 15 minutes until it simmers.

6th Step: Add salt, hot green pepper and mix it well. Remove from heat. Serve it warm or cold.

* You will find these spices in Ethiopian or Indian shops/groceries

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/327834. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.

Marinated Beef Steak

Ingredients:

4 (6oz) fillet Mignon or sirloin beef
4 cloves garlic (sliced)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin oil or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon hot red chili pepper powder
1 tablespoon dry wine or dry sherry
2 bunch rosemary or 1 teaspoon dry rosemary
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: Slightly pierce the meat and insert the sliced garlic;

2nd Step: Mix the ingredients; coat the meat and marinate in a tight plastic bag or container; keep it in fridge for 30 minutes to an hour;

3rd Step: Remove from the plastic bag, in non-stick frying pan (skillet), fry the meat for one minute each side in order to preserve the meat juice;

4th Step: Place the meat in a baking pan and at 375 degree oven broil it for 20 minutes.

5th Step: Keep it outside for 2-5 minutes to settle before carving.

Serving 4.

Vegetable Fried Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice
1 tomato (seeded and cores removed)
1 shallot
1 green onion/scallion
1 red sweet pepper (seeded)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil
3 eggs (beaten)
1 clove garlic (diced)
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 bay leaves
Black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: Boil two cups of water with bay leaves; rinse the rice and add to the boiling water; discard the bay leaves; cook the rice in a lower heat until tender and let the rice absorbs the water;

2nd Step: Chop all the vegetables;

3rd Step: With one tablespoon of oil lightly cook and scramble the eggs;

4th Step: In another pan sauté the shallot, green onions, garlic, sweet peppers, with two tablespoon of oil;

5th Step: Combine the sauté vegetables, tomatoes, soy sauce and black pepper with the rice; stir-fry for five minutes or until the rice is well covered;

6th Step: Add the scrambled eggs to the rice, mix it well and serve it hot.

Serving 4

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/366200. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.

Ethiopian Cream of Oatmeal (YeAjja Atimit)

My Ethiopian Cooking: Cream of Oatmeal (YeAjja Atimit)

Ingredients:

1 cup oat flour or 2 cups coarse-cut oats
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
2 teaspoon purified butter (if desired)
4 cups water

Preparation:

Oat flour cream: mix the flour with cold water and milk; bring to boil; stir continuously; boil for 20 minutes until smooth and creamy; add butter, honey or sugar; stir well; remove from heat; drink it hot.

Coarse-cut oats cream: soak the oats with six cups of cold water for two to three hours; blend and strain the liquid into a boiling pot; add milk; stir continuously and boil for 20 minutes until smooth and creamy; add butter, honey or sugar, stir well; remove from heat; drink it hot.

Ethiopian Cracked Wheat Cereal (Yesinde Qiniché)

My Ethiopian Cooking: Cracked Wheat Cereal (Yesinde Qiniché)

Ingredients:

2 cups cracked wheat
1-2 tablespoon purified butter (Nitir Kebe)*
3 cups water
¼ garlic powder
1½ cup milk or rice milk
A pinch of turmeric or curry powder
Salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: In a non-stick cooking pot, combine and boil water; milk or rice milk, one tablespoon of butter, turmeric or curry, and salt;

2nd Step: Rinse the cracked wheat with cold water; add it to the boiling liquid; lower the heat, stir occasionally to prevent from sticking; cook for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the cereal is soft;

3rd Step: Remove from heat, add one tablespoon of butter (if desired).

Serve it hot as breakfast, snack or as a side dish.

P.S. If preferred, you may use cracked oats.

* Please click here to see how to prepare Purified Butter (Nitir Kebe)

Salmon Baked with Vegetables

Ingredients:

1 lbs fresh salmon
2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow and 1 red or orange pepper
1 medium tomato
1 medium squash
2 stalks celery
1 green onion/scallion
2 cloves garlic diced and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon basil minced
1 tablespoon white wine (if desired)
1 teaspoon teriyaki sauce or ¼ teaspoon red hot pepper powder
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: Rinse the salmon in fresh lemon juice and cold water, pat dry and place it in baking pan;

2nd Step: Chop all vegetables in desired shape, mix it with oil, wine and all spices;

3rd Step: Spread the mixture on the salmon and turn it around twice, spread the vegetable on the top of the salmon;

4th Step: Heat the oven to 400 degree and bake the salmon covered for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and keep it in the oven for another five minutes.

Serve it with Rice or pasta

Sardine-Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

2 4oz Sardines (in oil or water)
2 green onions/scallions
1 hot green pepper (seeded)
½ medium tomato (seeded)
½ medium sweet red pepper (seeded)
½ tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or vegetable oil *
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon basil
¼ teaspoon parsley
Black pepper to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: Chop thinly the scallions, tomato, sweet pepper and hot green pepper;

2nd Step: Prepare the salad dressing - mix the lemon juice, oil, basil, parsley, black pepper; Whisk it well;

3rd Step: Open the canned sardines; drain the water or oil;

4th Step: In a serving dish, combine the sardines and vegetables with the salad dressing; mix gently. Keep it in fridge until serving time.

Serve it with lettuce, Injera, pita bread or as a sandwich.

P.S. Sardines are already salty, so no salt added. If the sardines are canned in oil, add less oil to the dressing.

Swiss Chard Dish (Ethiopian Costta)

Ingredients:

1 lb Swiss chard (Costta)
2 green onions/scallion (chopped)
1 leek (chopped)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin oil or vegetable oil
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon dry basil
1 hot green pepper (seeded and sliced)
Black pepper and salt to taste
2 tablespoons water

Preparation:

1st Step: Separate the Swiss Chard stem and leaves; rainse them well with cold water; chopping the leaves and the stem separate;

2nd Step: Slightly dry the chopped leaves with salad spinner or towel paper;

3rd Step: Sauté the chopped stem, onion, leek, garlic with oil in a medium pot for 2 minutes;

4th Step: Add water, basil, black pepper and salt. Cook it for a minute;

5th Step: Add the Swiss chard leaves, lower the heat, mix it well (3 minutes); Remove from heat before it releases water;

6th Step: Add the hot sliced pepper, mix and cover it. Serve it cold or hot.

Serving 4

Grilled Lamb Shish Kebab

This tenderized grilled meat is my favorite dish. It is great for any occasion.

Ingredients:

2lb boneless lamb leg
½ cup red wine
2 Bell peppers
1 red onion or shallot
4 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1½ teaspoon chili pepper powder (berbere)
½ teaspoon black pepper
Salt to taste

Preparation:

1st Step: Cut the meat in cubes or as desired;

2nd Step: Mix the wine, oil, garlic, chili pepper, black pepper and salt; whisk well;

3rd Step: In a dip bowl, Combine the meat and the mixture; Keep it in the fridge for an hour to marinate;

4th Step: Cut the vegetables as desired and gently mix the vegetables with the marinated meat;

5th Step: Thread the meat and the vegetables on skewers; grill or broil for 12-15 minutes.

Serve it hot.

6 Servings

If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water at least one hour before adding using them.

For nutritional facts of this recipe please visit http://www.recipezaar.com/355201. For vitamin content please click on "Print Recipe" on aforementioned site.