One of my mom’s favorite expressions is “Did you get it straight from the horse’s mouth?” She likes to ask me this when I am at my most panicked, assumption-burdened self. While the image it conjures up isn’t exactly pretty, the saying gives me perspective when I need it most.

If there was ever any doubt about the food of Ethiopia, I’m going to put it to rest right now. I cooked, I ate and I am here to tell you that the food of Ethiopia is intense, flavorful, and fit for any dinner party. You can say you got it straight from the horse’s mouth. Better yet, you can make some of the food from this menu and find out for yourself.

Eating without utensils is quickly becoming a favorite hobby of mine. If the potential mess scares you, have no fear. Ava will be happy to give you a lesson. She’s a pro (although, technically, the left hand is never used for eating in Ethiopia. It’s called the unclean hand and I’ll leave it to your imaginations what that’s all about).

Here’s our Ethiopian menu: which of these dishes would you try?

Spicy Lamb and Sweet Red Onion Stew (Awaze Tibs) [Recipe]
When winter just won’t let go, cozy up to a big pot of Awaze Tibs. This stew is spicy and perfectly sweet – the way only two whole caramelized onions can be sweet. Fresh ginger and garlic balance out the flavors. Recipe inspired by Laura from the Silk Road Gourmet.

Ethiopian Coffee Ceremony [Recipe]
Ethiopians celebrate the entire process of making coffee, from roasting the green coffee beans, to inhaling the aroma, to drinking the intensely sweet mixture. Learn about the authentic ceremony and see how we replicated one without special equipment.

Stovetop Popcorn [Recipe]
Ethiopian coffee ceremonies include snacks, usually plain popcorn. For this recipe I learned how to make popcorn the old fashioned way – on the stovetop.

I also used Berberé [Recipe] in the Tibs and served the meal with Injera [Recipe] … both recipes I made a couple of weeks ago for neighboring Eritrea.

As usual, all the recipes will be posted by Monday, along with the Monday Meal Review.