In in this recipe we are making wild yeast sourdough starter, from scratch it is really worth it. Once you have  your  starter going you can start making other breads suchs the Ethiopian Injera, Panacakes, french bread  and more.

To make the starter you will need;

• flour
• water
• container for your batter
• and a warm place to keep your batter
• this will take a period of 5 days or less.

Day 1:

Mix ¼ cup water to ½ cup flour in a jar,  I am using  plain unbleached all-purpose flour and warm water. It  should be a tick paste , let it sit on the counter for 24 hours.

Day 2:

There should be some bubbles but you shouldn’t worry at this stage if yours didn’t develop any bubbles. Add ¼ cup water ½ cup flour to the bather and stir until combined. Let is sit for another 24 hours

Day 3:

The starter should have now some air and bubbles that is a good sign. Take about half of your batter (you can use it or throw it away) and mix in  ¼ cup water and ½ cup flour. Leave it on the counter for another 24 hours

Day 4:

The starter should be double or triple in size and lots of bubbles in it, take half of the batter out and add ¼ cup water and ½ cup flour mix and let it sit again for 24 hours.

Day 5:

The starter should be now  doubled in volume this means that it is ready to be used to make sourdough lahooh.

In the next post I will add  recipe for sourdough Lahooh.

Feeding  the starter:

If you are using this batter daily remove what you need for your lahooh and leave some for the next day, to this add flour and water to it then mix and let it sit on the counter for the next day.

When you dont have the time to make it daily leave the batter in the fridge that way you can forget about it  for a week or so , when ready let it sit on the counter at room temperature, there will be some liquid on top you can mix in or discard.

Then  add flour and water and let it rest again to ferment, then use what you need and leave some for the next starter and keep it in the fridge.

Spicy tomato chutney made with fresh tomatoes, spiced with berbere spice blend a delicious condiment, it is sweet, spicy and tangy. Dip it with a bread or pour it over rice dishes you will be surprised how many ways to use it.

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 tablespoon
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• 6 large tomatoes, peeled, chopped
• 4 cloves of garlic roughly chopped
• 2-4 tablespoons berbere
• 2 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Directions:

Heat oil in large sauce pan over medium heat.
Add the onion and saute until soft and translucent.
Add the tomatoes, garlic, tomato paste, bring it to a simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the  sugar, berbere, tamarind paste and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer for  50 minutes, or until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Put the chutney in blender and make a smooth paste (optional).

Store in tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups coconut, fresh or dried
• 14 oz can condensed milk
• 2 teaspoon cardamom, freshly grounded
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 cup sugar

Directions:

In a sauce pan place the coconut, condensed milk, and the sugar on a medium heat.

Stir constantly, making sure not to burn it for about 10 minutes until mixture thickens.

Mix in the butter and the cardamom powder.

Line a small pound cake pan with a parchment paper and spread the coconut sweets evenly and let it cool.

When cool cut them squares, diamonds or shape them into balls.

You can eat this bread with any stew, sauce or soup, you cut up in small pieces then ladle with your soup or stew then add sliced banana and drizzle of sesame oil. That is an amazing meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cornmeal (precooked, Pan)
• 1 cup plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon of oil, and more for cooking the muufo

Directions:

In a mixing bowl add cornmeal, plain flour, baking powder, sugar and salt, add just enough water to make a

soft dough, add about 2 1/4 cups of  warm water,  more flour if sticky and more water if too dry.

You can use the dough right away or let it rest for 20 minutes to overnight.

Heat a non-stick fry pan on a medium heat.

Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces then leave them covered.

Using your hands flatten each piece in to a 4 inch/ 10 cm  diameter.

Use little bit of water to wet your hand, so the dough won’t stick.

Fry each bread until golden brown 4 to 5 minutes on each side.

Alternatively use a griddle and brush each muufo with some oil  and

turnover when the bread comes of the griddle about 4-5 minutes.

Serve with your favorite stew.

Ingredients:

• 1 (6-pound) leg of lamb, bone-in
• 1 small onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons cilantro
• 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons cardamom, powder
• 2 teaspoons coriander, powder
• 2 teaspoon cumin, powder
• salt, pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon berbere recipe here (optional)
• 3 carrots , peeled, cut into chunks  (optional)
• 4 medium potatoes,peeled, cut into chunks (optional)

Directions:

In a blender or a food processor blend the onion, garlic, cilantro, oil, lemon and the spices until combined.

Rub the marinade all over the lamb and season with salt and pepper

Put the leg of lamb in a large bag and wrap it tightly with little air in the bag as possible.

Let it sit in your refrigerator for two hours to overnight.

Remove the leg of lamb from the refrigerator and let it come to a room temperature.

Sprinkle with  berbere, salt and pepper.

Preheat the oven 450F

Place lamb in a roasting pan and cover tightly with foil and place in the oven.

Turn the oven temperature down to 325F

Cook this for about 3 1/2 hours.

Last 20 minutes when the lamb is cooked add the carrots and potatoes and cook uncovered.

The lamb is ready when it falls of the bone,and the vegetables are tender. Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest covered in a foil.

As a side dish I have made quick spinach and cabbage and the potatoes where roasted with the lamb in the end. Serve over rice if you prefer.

leg of lamb

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon coriander
• 1 table spoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
• 3 whole cloves
• 1/2 cup cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1/4 ground cinnamon powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder

Directions:

In a skillet over medium heat, toast the, cumin, cardamom, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, fenugreek for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and let it cool.

finely grind the toasted spices in a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle.
mix in the remaining ingredients until combined.

Store in a airtight jar.

Berbere as a hot sauce: add few table spoons of Berbere mixture add oil/lemon/water to form a paste. Serve with your meal.

Ingredients:

• 1 small cucumber, chopped
• 1 large tomato, chopped
• 1/2 red onion, chopped fine
• 2 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• squeeze of a lemon
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 15-oz favabean, rinsed and drained
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder

Directions:

Sauté the garlic with olive oil, until fragrant for 2 minutes, add the beans and cook for 5 minutes. Then cool for 5 minutes.

In the mean time, while the beans are cooling, mix in a bowl the cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro, lemon, salt and chilli powder.

Add the cooked been to the mixture and toss gently.

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 large potatoes, peeled
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• salt and pepper
• bread crumbs
• oil for frying

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a large pan and cover with water and boil for 20 minutes or until tender, then mash with a fork season with salt and pepper, turmeric, coriander and cumin, mix well until combined.
In the mean time place the eggs in another pan and boil until cooked.
Peel the cooked eggs and cut into fourths then set aside.

Take a heaping spoonful of the mashed potato slightly flatten with your hands.

Place a piece of egg in the middle and cover with the mashed potato, and make a round or oval shape.

Then roll the mashed potato balls with the bread crumbs until covered.

Drop the naffaqos in the hot oil, and fry until golden brown.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb green beans, trimmed, cut in half
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 green chilli, seeded, chopped
• 2 tablespoons cilantro/ coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup oil

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and cook over medium heat until softened.
Add tomato paste, tomatoes, green chilli, and cilantro, cumin, season with salt and pepper. Cook until tomatoes are soft.
Add the beans and 1/2 cup of water,bring it to a boil then simmer on a medium heat until the beans are tender about 10-15 minutes.
Serve warm as a side dish.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup oil/butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoon millk
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups semolina

for the syrupe:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup
• 2 teaspoons orange blossom water

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350F

Grease baking dish (23cm/9inch square)

Cream butter/oil, milk and sugar in a bowl add the eggs one at the time and mix.
Add the semolina, baking powder and mix until combined.
Turn in to the prepared pan and level the top.
Bake for 30 minutes or until it is golden.
Cut the cake in squares, or diamond shapes.
Pour the cold syrup over the hot cake.
Let it sit to cool and serve.

To make the syrup, in a small pan put the sugar and water.
Bring it to the boil and keep boiling for 5 minutes.
Stir in the orange blossom water.
Let it cool.

Ingredient:

• 4 chicken legs-tights
• 1 tomato, cut in half
• 3 carrots, peeled
• 3 potatoes, peeled
• 1/2  head of cabbage, sliced
• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 3 black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1-2 tablespoons coriander/cilantro leaves
• salt to taste

Directions:

Place the chicken in a in a large soup pan, cover with water, bring it to a boil.
Skim the foam that rises to the top with a spoon.
Boil for 15 minutes, then let simmer on a medium.
Add tomatoes, potatoes,cabbage, carrots, garlic and the spices continue to cook for 30-40 minutes or until the Chicken is tender almost falling off from the bone.
Garnish with more cilantro/coriander leaves.
Serve with bead.

1 cumber, finely chopped

2 tomatoes, finely chopped

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 chilli, finely chopped

1 garlic clove, finely minced

2 tablespoons cilantro/coriander leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoon vinegar

salt and pepper

Directions

Stir together in a bowl the onion, cucumber, tomato, chillies, coriander, lemon juice.

Season with salt and pepper, to taste, before serving.

In a small bowl mix together,lemon, vinegar, oil and salt and pepper and the minced garlic.

Mix until all combined.

let it chill.

Ingredients:

• 1 small head romaine, cut into bite size
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 small onion, sliced
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1 small cucumber, sliced
• 2 hard boiled eggs, sliced

Dressing:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• juice of one lemon
• 1 -2 teaspoon mustard
• 2 tablespoon vinegar
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons yogurt

Directions:

In a bowl, mix the salad, tomatoes, carrot, cucumber, onions, and the eggs.

In a small bowl mix the vinaigrette ingredient until smooth.

Spoon dressing over salad and serve.

Please leave a note in the comment section on how you make your soor or shuuro, I would love to hear from you.

Ingredients:

• 1/2  cup corn flour
• 1/2 cup sorghum flour
  
• pinch of salt
• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups water
• sugar/honey
• pinch of cinnamon

Directions:

In a heavy pan bring the water and milk to a rolling boil.

Dilute the corn and sorghum flour and cinnamon in 1 cup cold water mix well to make a smooth paste.

Stir the flour paste to the boiling water and milk, constantly stir.

Reduce the heat on a medium and let it simmer, stir occasionally .

Keep stirring until it thickens add more water or milk to get softer consistency, according to your preference.

Serve hot with butter, milk, sugar, honey, buttermilk, or yogurt.

• 1 banana, sliced

• 1 papaya, diced

• 1 mango, diced

• 1/2 cup blueberries

• 1 table spoons of lemon

In a large bowl combine the banana, papaya, mango, and blueberries, add the lemon juice and mix well.
Bananas tend to get brown, add them just before serving.