Ethiopian Jewish cuisine facts for kids

Ethiopian Jewish cuisine is the special food eaten by the Beta Israel, also known as Ethiopian Jews. Their food is quite similar to what other people in Ethiopia eat. But there are some important differences, especially because of their religious rules.

Many foods that are not allowed in Jewish law, like pork or shellfish, are also not traditionally eaten by Christians or Muslims in Ethiopia. This means that keeping kosher (following Jewish food rules) often looks very similar to how others eat. However, Ethiopian Jews do not eat raw meat dishes. Two popular raw meat dishes in Ethiopia are kitfo and gored gored. Long ago, Jewish traders in Addis Ababa helped bring new spices like curry powder to Ethiopian cooking.

Understanding Ethiopian Jewish Food Rules

Ethiopian Jews follow special food rules called kashrut. These rules come from ancient religious texts like the Book of Leviticus, Deuteronomy, and the Book of Jubilees. These texts explain which animals, birds, and fish are allowed to be eaten. They also describe which ones are forbidden. For example, birds that hunt other animals are not allowed.

One important rule is about a specific nerve called Gid hanasheh. This nerve is forbidden to eat. Also, traditional Ethiopian Jewish law (called Haymanot) says not to cook a young goat in its mother's milk. This means they do not mix meat and milk when cooking. Today, under wider Jewish influence, mixing dairy products with meat is generally not allowed at all.

In the past, Ethiopian Jews were not allowed to eat food prepared by people who were not Jewish. A religious leader, called a kes, would only eat meat that he had prepared himself. If someone broke these food rules, they would be temporarily separated from the community. They would have to fast and eat only chickpeas for a few days. Then they would perform a special cleansing ritual before rejoining the village.

Clarified Butter and Oil in Ethiopian Jewish Cooking

Ghee and niter kibbeh are types of clarified butter. They are very popular in Ethiopian cooking. To follow the rules about not mixing meat and milk, Ethiopian Jews often use oil instead of butter. This oil is called parev, meaning it is neither meat nor dairy.

Special kosher ghee is available in some places, like the United States and Israel. This ghee is made sure to follow all Jewish food laws. Yeqimem zeyet is another option. It is a type of niter kibbeh made from vegetable oil. This makes it a good choice for those who want to avoid dairy or for vegans.

Camel meat is eaten by some Ethiopian Muslims. However, it is not eaten by Ethiopian Jews or Christians. This is because camels are not considered a kosher animal according to Jewish law. Camel milk is also not consumed by Ethiopian Jews, as kosher milk must come from a kosher animal.

Special Dishes for Shabbat

Shabbat is the Jewish day of rest. It is called Sanbat in the Amharic and Tigrinya languages.

Sanbat Wat is a traditional stew prepared for Shabbat. It is a doro wat made with chicken and hard-boiled eggs. This spicy dish is often seasoned with berbere (a spice mix), cloves, onions, and tomato sauce. It is usually served with injera, a type of flatbread. For Shabbat dinner, stews made with chicken, meat, or fish are common. Vegetarian stews are often eaten for breakfast.

Small round rolls called Dabos are also traditionally served during Shabbat meals. In Ethiopia, Jewish communities often used tallah, a beer made from gesho leaves, for kiddush. Kiddush is a special blessing over wine. Now, in Israel, Ethiopian Jews usually use wine for kiddush because it is more available.

Ethiopian Jews traditionally do not heat food on Shabbat. This is because they follow the rule against cooking on Shabbat very strictly. All food is prepared on Friday, the day before Shabbat, and served at room temperature.

The traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony called buna is also not performed on Shabbat. This ceremony involves lighting a fire, which is not allowed on the day of rest. So, the buna ceremony must be done before or after Shabbat.

Holiday Foods and Traditions

Passover: A Time for Matzah

For Passover, Ethiopian Jews bake a special bread called matzah. Unlike the square matzah many people know, their matzah is a large, round flatbread. It can be about 2 feet wide and has a soft texture, similar to pita bread.

While most Jewish communities stopped the practice of the Passover sacrifice after the Second Temple was destroyed, some Ethiopian Jews still continue this ancient tradition.

Rosh Hashanah: The New Year Feast

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year. In Amharic, it is called Brenha Serkan, which means "the rising of the dawn." Ethiopian Jews traditionally celebrated Rosh Hashanah for one day. This is different from other Jewish communities who usually celebrate it for two days.

Lamb, which was the most expensive meat in Ethiopia, was often served for this holiday. It was common for wealthier members of the community to host a big feast. They would invite others to join them in celebrating the holiday.

Sigd: Fasting and Feasting

Ethiopian Jews observe a holiday called Sigd. On this day, they fast. To break the fast, they traditionally eat a stew made with lamb or chicken. This stew is often served with eggs and potatoes.

Meat was not always easy to find in Ethiopia. So, Ethiopian Jews usually ate meat-based stews only once a week for Shabbat, and for special holidays.

Ethiopian-Jewish Restaurants Around the World

There are not many kosher Ethiopian-Jewish restaurants in the world. Even in Israel, where many Ethiopian Jews live, they are still quite rare. However, more kosher Ethiopian restaurants have been opening in Israel over time. Several can be found in cities like Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. There is even a kosher vegan Ethiopian restaurant in Tel Aviv.

In Harlem, New York, a place called Tsion Cafe serves food inspired by Ethiopian-Jewish and Ethiopian-Israeli cooking. However, this restaurant is not kosher. In Brooklyn, New York, a kosher vegan Ethiopian restaurant opened in 2020. It follows strict kosher rules.

As of 2019, there are no kosher restaurants in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. But the Chabad house in Addis Ababa does offer kosher food for visitors.