Inspiration: Balsamic Vinegar

If you have ever tried a better than average balsamic vinegar, you know how delicious it is. The one I am thinking of (Williams-Sonoma) is aged longer than your typical grocery brand. It's thicker and has a tangy-sweet rather than just a tangy taste. I dream about this balsamic vinegar more than I should. What's the problem? It's about $30 per bottle (yikes)! Let's see...a weeks worth of groceries or a bottle of balsamic vinegar?

The other day I really wanted some of this balsamic vinegar to drizzle over my sandwich. My $3.50 variety would no longer do. The solution at the time? A reduction.

What is a reduction? Basically it means to simmer or boil a liquid until the total volume is reduced--it evaporates. Reducing thickens the liquid and intensifies its flavor at the same time.

Some things I might reduce: stock, wine, cream/milk, my obsession with dark chocolate peanut M&M's and...balsamic vinegar!

The process:

1. Pour the balsamic vinegar into a pan and set to medium-high heat.
Keep in mind you will end up with about 1/4 the amount of liquid you start out with.

2. Bring the liquid to a boil and then turn down the heat to low-medium and simmer.
Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally.

3. Simmer as long as it takes to reduce to your liking.
It will thicken even after you take the pan off the heat. It didn't take long for the amount of balsamic vinegar I used (1/4 to 1/2 Cup, 5-10 minutes).


Note: Do yourself a favor and turn on a fan or open a window. In a studio apartment the smell of vinegar will linger for approximately two days.

The result: Despite the cheap vinegar, the smell, and the time/effort the end product turned out quite tasty.


Food for thought: Estimated price per ounce of reducing the cheap balsamic vinegar vs. buying the good stuff? $1.75 vs. $1.80

Good grief.

Lazy Day(s)

I wouldn't call not posting in 400+ days lazy (though I did sleep through two alarms set for 10am today). Now that I don't have to study (for 37 more days) I will try to update a bit more. Just because I put the blog on the back burner, doesn't mean I haven't been cooking! I have taken quite a few pictures over the past year and will try to work them into the posts as I revisit the recipes over the next few weeks.

Injera Round Two

I gave injera a second chance today with the help of Ms. Myhand and her kitchen. We modified the recipe a bit by adding some regular flour. Unlike teff flour, regular flour contains gluten, a protein that gives baked products structure and strength.
I used a large griddle pan and high heat. The larger cooking surface gave me more control and I was able to spread out the batter as I poured it on the pan. Though my injera was not quite as spongy or as large as I would have liked, I think the overall taste is there. Cooking just takes practice.

When I got home I made some Niter Kebbeh to go along with the injera. It is a spiced butter used in many Ethiopian dishes. I have not tasted it yet, but it smells wonderful!

Ingredients

• 2 lb unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 onion, coarsely chopped
• 3 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 4 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 whole clove
• 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan, melt the butter slowly over medium heat; do not let it brown. Bring butter to a boil.
   
2. Stir in the onion, garlic, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
3. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered and undisturbed for 45 minutes. Milk solids on the bottom of the pan should be golden brown, and the butter on top will be transparent.
4. Slowly pour the clear liquid into a bowl, straining through a cheesecloth. It is important that no solids are left in the niter kebbeh.
5. Transfer the kebbeh into a jar. Cover tightly and store in the refrigerator.
   

Injera Woes

(Rumi loves to stand on the stool and watch)

Before starting I gathered my ingredients: teff flour and water. Ha! That's it! It may be hard to find teff flour, but I had luck at Whole Foods. It's about $7 a bag.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup teff, ground fine
• 3 1/2 cups water
• salt
• sunflower or other vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Mix ground teff with 3 1/2 cups water and let stand in a bowl covered with a dish towel, at room temperature, until it bubbles and has turned sour. This may take as long as 3 days. The fermenting mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter.
2. Stir in salt, a little at a time, until you can barely detect the taste.
3. Lightly oil an 8- or 9-inch skillet (or a larger one if you like). Heat over medium heat. Then proceed as you would with a normal pancake or crepe. Pour in enough batter to cover the bottom of the skillet. About 1/4 cup will make a thin pancake covering the surface of an 8-inch skillet if you spread the batter around immediately. Injera is not supposed to be paper thin so you should use a bit more batter than you would for crepes, but less than you would for a flapjack.
4. Cook briefly, until holes form in the injera and the edges lift from the pan. Remove and let cool. Yields 10 to 12.

Looking good and bubbly! I noticed a very distinct smell on the second day. Not bad, but I was very careful not to spill the bowl!

At almost 72 hours I decided to start cooking...

Attempt #1 following the recipe exactly. Ooey gooey mess.



Attempt #5 or so. I thickened the batter by adding more teff flour. I thought for a minute it might work...



...but it didn't.

After this attempt I decided to try using a bigger skillet. Small pan, big pan, thin batter, thick batter, medium temperature, high temperature. Fail fail faill! I decided to drink a beer instead of continuing.

Teff, The Super Grain!

A few years ago, I was able to taste Ethiopian food with my family. Injera was spread out like a tablecloth in the center of the table. Various dishes were then placed on top of the flat bread for a communal meal. It was such a memorable experience--the textures, the smell of new spices, and the spongy injera that we used to scoop up the food.

Injera is an Ethiopian staple bread made from Teff. Teff is a tiny grain native to Ethiopia. It is sometimes referred to as a super grain because it is high in protein, carbohydrates, nutrients, and minerals. It has twice as much iron and twenty times as much calcium as similar grains! Injera is almost like a pancake, but not as thick. It has a soft spongy texture and is covered with little holes. Injera has a sour taste because before cooking, the dough is allowed to ferment for several days. This fermentation followed by cooking gives Injera its unique appearance.

Ethiopians rarely eat alone. Rather than having individual plates, they share their meals. Dishes are often served on top of injera. The bread is also used as an eating utensil to scoop up the food. It is proper etiquette to wash your hands before the meal and to use only your right hand while eating.

If you haven't guessed already, I am going to try making injera as part of my final project!

Final Project: Ethiopia

For the final project in Cultural Food Patterns, I am required to select a country and prepare a dish that is an example of a core food and flavoring principle. Part of the project also includes a brief handout or visual to introduce the country (this blog!). I have chosen Ethiopia.

Ethiopia Fast Facts

Culture and World Region

• Location: Horn of Africa (Eastern Africa)
• Climate: Varies by topographical region; mostly arid
  
• Religion: Ethiopian Orthodox, Muslim
  
• Major Ethnic Groups: Oromo, Amara, Tigraway, Somalie, Guragie, Sidama, Welaita

Language Spoken

• Nearly 80 Languages
• 200 Dialects
• National: Amharic, English, Tigrigna

Cultural Perspective

• Africa is the second largest continent in the world.
  
• It is believed that we are evolved from ancestors who lived in Africa over 2 million years ago as hunter gatherers.
  
• Ethiopia is ranked 169 out of 174 as one of the poorest countries.

Food History

• 15,000 years ago, organized food production systems were established in Africa along the Nile River. Today, agriculture is a very important part of the economy.
• Historically, geography played an important role in Ethiopia's connections to the Middle East and to India.
  
• Ethiopia is the only country in Africa never colonized by a foreign power, the cuisine is uniquely Ethiopian.
• Export Crops: coffee, chat, pulses (chickpeas, beans, lentils), leather, livestock, meat, fruits, vegetables
• Staple Crops: teff, sorghum, barley, wheat, plantains, potatoes, corn, legumes
  
• Livestock: estimated 27 million cattle, 24 million sheep, 18 million goats

Common Foods

• Protein Sources: cattle, sheep, chicken, goat, legumes, lentils, chickpeas, field peas
• Starch Sources: potatoes, sweet potato, maize (corn) meal, teff
• Fat Sources: made from vegetables, seeds, coconut, clarified butter
• Prominent Vegetables: kale, green beans, okra, melon, onion, shallots, cabbage, leeks, beetroot, carrots, green chili, tomatoes, lettuce
• Prominent Fruits: banana, oranges, pawpaw, mandarin, grapefruit, mango, guava, lemon, lime; seasonal
• Spices & Seasonings: chilies, ground sesame seeds, melon seeds, cotton seeds, mushrooms, cumin, caraway, clove, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, saffron
• Beverages: hot tea, coffee, tella (beer), tejj (honey wine)
• Desserts: no cultural tradition, but chocolate cake is most popular
• Food meanings:

Injera = bread
Niter kebbeh = clarified spiced butter
Berbere = common spice blend
Wat = stew; national dish
Tibs = simple meat dishes
Doro = chicken
Sik sik = beef

Typical Days Menu

• Cooking Methods: simple preparation; steaming in husks or leaves, boiling, frying, grilling
• Main Meal: lunch
• Breakfast: injera fit-fit (onions, berbere, clarified butter), dulet (tripe, liver, beef, peppers, injera), gonfo (porridge)
• Lunch & Dinner: mostly consist of wat and injera.
• Snacks/Side Dishes: tibs (meat, onions, peppers, spices), qolo (toasted cerreal, legumes, sunflower seeds), coffee

Holiday Meals

• First rains, crops, weddings, births, puberty, and death are cause for celebratory meals.
  
• Fasting: during religious celebrations (Orthodox Christian)
  
• Weddings: steak tartar served
  

Health Beliefs

• Traditional beliefs include health as a state of equilibrium between the body and the outside world.
  
• Many look to traditional healers and biomedical professionals for treatment.
  
• Religion greatly influences food choice. Orthodox Christians do not consume animal products. Orthodox Christians and Muslims do not eat pork.

Health Statistics

• 11 % of children affected by protein energy malnutrition.
• Correlation between infant mortality and low birth weight and maternal nutritional status.
• World Health Organization: Mean BMI
  
• World Health Organization: Mortality

Communication & Counseling

• Ethiopians are humble, soft-spoken, and respectful people.
  
• Greeting Styles: light handshake and eye contact; elders first; leisurely discussion
  
• Do not make assumptions!
  
• In-depth interview is important for determining cultural beliefs and practices and discussion.

Sources

1. Kittler PG, Sucher KP. Food and Culture. 4th ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth; 2004.
2. Ethiopian Cuisine. In: Hayes D, Lauden R, editorial advisors. Food and Nutrition. Vol 3. Tarrytown, NY: Marshall Cavendish Corporation; 2009:329-332.
3. Brown-Riggs C. Ethiopia. In: Edelstein S, ed. Food, Cuisine, and Cultural Competency: For Culinary, Hospitality, and Nutrition Professionals. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2011:361-338.
   
4. Photograph by Rama, Wikimedia Commons, Cc-by-sa-2.0-fr