Cooking Class

Wednesday was "Africa Day" in Mauritania. Since everyone had the day off, some friends organized a cooking class. Appropriately, they asked our friend Sisay to teach us how to make some of her favorite Ethiopian recipes. Her lesson included misir wot, doro wot, ingera, and tibs. Here is the recipe for misir wot:

1 cup red lentils

3 onions- pureed

1/2 head garlic- pressed

3 TBSP berbere chili powder

1 tsp ginger root- grated

3 fresh tomatoes- chopped

3-4 TBSP oil

3 basil flower buds (leaves removed)

1/2 tsp "seven spice"

1 tsp salt

3-4 cups water

• Sautee the onions 10-15 minutes over a medium heat, then add oil
• Add ground tomatoes and salt then let simmer 10 minutes
• Add 1/2 cup water and let simmer 15 minutes, uncovered
• Add berbere and 1/2 cup more water and let simmer 15 minutes
• Add garlic and ginger and then cover pot and let simmer 20 minutes
• Add lentils (washed) and 1 cup water, let cook 15 minutes 
• Add more water, 1 cup or as needed, and let cook 15 minutes
• Add more water, 1 cup or as needed, and let cook 15 minutes
• Add basil + seven spice
• Remove cover and let cook ten more minutes
• Remove from heat and serve with ingera. Enjoy!

I hope that I can make this recipe one day... but I know that it will never taste as delicious as the magic that Sisay creates in the kitchen!