chicken mahkani

1 tsp ground ginger
2 large cloves garlic (skin removed)
1/4 of a medium onion (skin removed)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 8 oz container plain yogurt
1 can chickpeas


In a food processor puree garlic and onion together. Saute this mixture in 1-2 tbsp olive oil for ~4-5 mins, add in cumin, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, bay leaf and cayenne and saute 3-4 mins until spices smoke, add tomato sauce, yogurt and chickpeas and simmer ~10 mins. Serve over rice

date nut bars

3/4 cup sugar
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1 tbsp butter (melted)
1 cup dried figs
1 cup nuts (chopped)

Mix together sugar, flour and baking powder. Mix in eggs and butter until blended, batter will be stiff, add in figs and nuts and mix well. Press into silicone muffin cups and bake at 350 ~20 mins

chicken korma

2 tbsp + 1 tsp biryani paste
1/2 of an onion (diced)
2 cloves garlic
1 cup cashews
2/3 cup shredded coconut
1.5 cups water
1 cup cooked shredded chicken
1 cup green beans (diced)

3/4 cup uncooked rice

Cook rice, meanwhile add 1.5 cups water and 2/3 cup coconut together and let sit 10-20 mins while everything else is being prepped. Saute onion in olive oil 7-8 mins, add in biryani paste and garlic and saute 3-4 mins. Add 1/2 cup cashews to a food processor and add 1 tbsp water, puree and add to onion mixture, repeat with remainin cashews (or do it all at once if you have a big enough processor), strain coconut/water mixture and add the water to the sauce pan, mix together, add green beans and simmer until cooked ~3 mins, stir in chicken and serve with rice.

tahini and yogurt sauce over pasta

3 tbsp tahini
1 8 oz container plain yogurt
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can baby corn
1 chicken breast
1 lemon

1/2 package linguini

Boil water for pasta, meanwhile saute garlic, cayenne and cumin in a little olive oil, 2-3 mins, add tahini and stir together. Add yogurt, corn and (cooked) chicken, bring to simmer over low heat. Cook pasta and let yogurt sauce simmer until pasta is done. Stir in juice of 1 lemon, add salt/pepper to taste, add 1/4 cup of the pasta water to yogurt mixture, drain pasta and combine with sauce. Let sit 2-3 mins before serving so sauce thickens.

crispy kale (or spinach)

1 bunch of kale (or fresh spinach)
olive oil (1-2 tsp)
salt/pepper

Remove the ribs of the kale, discard the ribs and rip leaves into big pieces. Toss leaves with a little olive oil/salt/pepper and place on a wire cooling rack. Place the rack on a baking sheet and bake at 250C for ~30-40 mins until very crispy and dehydrated

lentil & tomato soup

1 cup lentils
1/2 of an onion (diced)
2 carrots (diced)
1 tbsp ethiopian spiced ghee (or butter)
salt/pepper to taste
1 bay leaf
thyme
sage
cumin
hot italian flakes
1 large clove garlic (minced)
1 cup crushed fire roasted tomaotes
3 cups water

Saute onion and carrot in ghee, add the spices (bay leaf, salt/pepper, thyme, cumin, italian flakes and garlic) and saute a few minutes. Add lentils, tomatoes and water and simmer 1 hr.

ethiopian beef dish (a.k.a. tsebhi sga or key wet)

2 lbs beef (diced, sirlion)
2 medium-large onion (diced small)
1/2 cup ethiopian spiced butter
1 cup crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup berbere spice (add enough olive oil to make this into a paste)
water

Heat up 1/4 cup butter and add the onion, saute until carmelized (~25 mins), add berbere paste and saute 15 mins, adding water as needed to keep from burning, add tomatoes and simmer 30 mins, adding water to keep from burning. Add beef, cover, and cook 20 mins. Add in remaining butter. Can add more water to bring it to the desired consistency

recipe from recipezaar.com

spiced butter for ethiopian cooking

1/2 cup ghee
2 small cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp minced onion
1/8 tsp ground cardamon (half of a 1/4 tsp)
1/8 tsp ground fenugreek (half of a 1/4 tsp)
1/12 tsp tumeric (1/4 of a 1/4 tsp)
1/8+ tsp ground cumin (3/4 of a 1/4 tsp)

1/2 inch of fresh ginger (didn't add this time, the store didn't have any!)

hehe, I didn't want to make 2 lbs worth so I had to improvise on measuring the ingredients.