Ethiopian Cuisine

Yesterday my friend, Paula, and I had a unique art filled dining experience. We had lunch at Lalibela, an Ethiopian restaurant in Mt. Kisco, NY. Paula's good friend, Ken Kurzweill, is a serious photographer who recently returned from a photo shooting expedition in Ethiopia. He stayed mostly in remote villages and got the most incredible pictures that are on display and for sale at this restaurant.

Be sure to click on the picture for a bigger view. Paula has purchased the photo on the lower left corner of the postcard and it was right over our table where we ate. There is a young boy with the most beautiful face under all that paint .

I had never eaten Ethiopian food before and wasn't sure what to expect, but it was quite delicious. I thought of having Paula take the picture after we had already started eating, so it's a little messed up. The food is served on a pizza tin lined with injera, the staple bread of Ethiopia, made from Teff seeds grown in that country. It is a thin crepe like bread with a spongy appearance that is used to scoop up the food. You can use the injera on the platter or use the smaller rolled up pieces that that bring you on a smaller plate.

I don't care for food that is too spicy, so we stayed away from those. In the center of the platter is a beef dish, small pieces of tender stewed beef in a delectable sauce. On either side of the platter was a fabulous avocado salad, very similar to the Guacamole salad that I make, but minus the black beans. On the side closest to you is a beet and carrot salad, also delicious, and on the far side is a lentil dish that was too spicy for me. The meal is meant to be shared. I only used a little of the bread, not wanting that many carbs, and mostly used my fork. At the end of the meal there was nothing left on the injera but the lentils.