Ethiopia, located in the Horn of Africa, is as ancient as the emergence of Homo sapiens and has been a country of diverse ethnicities, languages, and cultures for millennia. While it has been in contact with distant civilizations and cultures since ancient times, it also has a unique geo-political history on the African continent having avoided Europe’s imperialism during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. All of this means a certain Ethiopian cultural integrity and continuity over the centuries which includes four major languages, over 80 dialects, the indigenous script Ge’ez/Ethiopic and – as a singular culinary wonder.
Central to the typical Ethiopian cuisine is injera which is a spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff, a grain indigenous to Ethiopia and Eritrea. Teff is the world’s tiniest grain and a nutrition powerhouse due to its high protein and fibre content. It’s also gluten-free. Beyond the injera, Ethiopian cuisine gets its distinctive flavour and aroma from various spice blends made through complex, intricate processes – a tradition that has been passed down through many generations.
Food is a communal affair in Ethiopia where people gather around a large shared plate, the mesob, and it is eaten by hand. Injera is laid on the mesob followed by stew and vegetable toppings. The injera serves both as a serving plate and a utensil; the injera is torn by hand and used to scoop up the toppings. A well-made injera has many “eyes”, tiny holes that form on the surface of the injera batter as it is cooked on a hot griddle, while the bottom surface stays smooth. The spongy nature of the injera and its many “eyes” make it an ideal “utensil” to scoop up and retain the saucy stews.
The food is eaten by hand and shared around the mesob brings a natural intimacy to meal times. More intimate is the practice of gursha: this is where family members, friends, or a lover take turns feeding one another by hand.
While Toronto has a large Ethiopian community and a robust Ethiopian food scene (albeit it being atomized and limited to a couple of neighbourhoods), foods that are typically eaten for breakfast and brunch are not commonly found in the city.
Join Mismak Zena in her first iteration of Ethiopian food offerings at the Depannuer as she brings and sheds light on the lesser-known breakfast/brunch dishes of Ethiopia.
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Qolo – ቆሎ
A savoury snack consisting of toasted barley kernels, safflower seeds and toasted peanuts, all spiced with mitmita, Ethiopia’s hot chili pepper seasoning.
Injera firfir – የእንጀራ ፍርፍር
Fresh injera torn into bits and marinated in qulet. Qulet is Ethiopia’s curry made with onions, garlic, tomatoes, berbere (Ethiopia’s staple chili pepper blend used for stewing), and other Ethiopian spices.
Enqulal firfir – የእንቁላል ፍርፍር
Scrambled eggs*, Ethiopian-style, with red onions, tomatoes and jalapeños. (Vegan alternative available.)
Aja kinche – የአጃ ቂንጨ
Aja kinche is Ethiopia’s cracked oats, and in this version of the dish, it is cooked and then tossed together with caramelized onions, wilted spinach and extra-virgin olive oil.
Ergo – እርጎ
Ethiopian style yoghurt* is similar to Balkan yoghurt, thick and on the creamier side. Spiked with the leaves of Ethiopian rue (locally known as tena adam), an herb well-known in Ethiopia for its medicinal value. (Vegan version available.)
Firafire – ፍራፍሬ
Fresh, ripe tropical fruits
Fendisha – ፈንዲሻ
Spiced, sweet popcorn
Ethiopian thyme tea (Tossign Shai / ጦስኝ ሻይ)
Unlimited drip coffee
Special spice blend giveaway
*The yoghurt and eggs will come from local, organic sources. Other ingredients will be local and seasonal as much as possible.
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“I grew up in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, eating and enjoying the diverse flavours of Ethiopian cuisine. I have always had a connection with food, having spent many a childhood kiremt (which is wintertime in Addis and corresponds with three months of school break) hanging out with hired cooks in my family’s household where Ethiopian food was the mainstay but with frequent foray into the foods of faraway lands.
As an adult, I explored the diverse culinary output of the highly cosmopolitan city of Addis Ababa and also cooked at home regularly. But it wasn’t until I moved to Spain and had my first exposure to Mediterranean cuisine that I started unleashing my food creativity. While this cuisine is one of my favourites, I admire and have deep respect for culinary traditions and artistry from around the world, and share this love with the world via my blog, Cooking & Eating Intuitively.
In the pre-covid era, in the summers of 2018 and 2019, I brought Ethiopian food to the Dufferin Grove Organic Farmers’ Market in Toronto, in the form of a weekly event that was almost always sold out.”
The ancient culinary tradition and art of my own heritage in Ethiopia, holds a special place, and for now this is what I want to share with The Depanneur and the people of Toronto.”
—Mismak Zena
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