VA | Veggin' Out And About

Misser Wot (Spicy Lentils) from Sheba’s Ethiopian Restaurant

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Mar 8, 2013 in Ethiopian, Fairfax, VA, I-495, I-66 | 18 comments

Misser Wot is an Ethiopian spicy red lentil dish. Sheba’s owner (Azeb Gide) and her chef (Adanech Hussen) shared their recipe for this wonderfully spicy and healthy dish. Unfortunately, Sheba’s is no longer in business. It’s a real shame for this was one of our all-time favorite restaurants.

Ingredients

1 large chopped onion

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/3 to 1/2 cup berbere

split red lentils

2 -3 tablespoons fresh minced garlic

cinnamon to taste

salt

boiling water

ground black cardamom seeds (more…)

Sheba’s Ethiopian Restaurant, Fairfax, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Mar 8, 2013 in -Cuisine, Ethiopian, Fairfax, VA, I-495, I-66 | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Sheba’s Ethiopian Restaurant is the most elegant of the D.C. area Ethiopian restaurants we visited. Sheba’s boasts a freshly restored dining room with orderly tables bedecked with white tablecloths and prices that are beyond reasonable. The owners are Azeb Gide and her husband Million Hundessa, who Azeb proclaims to be a gifted cook. Her talented but camera-shy chef, Adanech Hussen, assisted in preparing the spicy red lentil dish for our video.

Azeb feels it is important to cook with healthy, whole foods. “My children eat at this restaurant. This is the food I feed my family, of course I want it to be made of the best ingredients possible.” Azeb has taken care to choose the best cookware as well. Rather than using the cheaper aluminum cookware she chose all stainless steel to avoid any concerns about aluminum’s potential contribution to Alzheimer’s disease. She takes the health of her patrons seriously. (more…)

Fasolia (Green Beans & Carrots) from Enat

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Feb 23, 2013 in Alexandria, VA, Ethiopian, I-395 | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Abbe, the owner and manager of ENAT, has kindly contributed his recipe of Fasolia, Ethiopian Green Beans and Carrots. This is the mildest dish you can find in Ethiopia. It is made from ingredients which are widely available at your local grocery stores.

4709 Chambliss St
Alexandria VA 22312
Facebook Page

703-642-3628

Fasolia, Ethiopian Green Beans and Carrots

Ingredients: (more…)

Enat Ethiopian Restaurant, Alexandria, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Feb 23, 2013 in Alexandria, VA, Ethiopian, I-395 | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

We knew Enat Ethiopian Restaurant in Alexandria, VA, promised to be an excellent and authentic Ethiopian restaurant when we walked in and did not see another white face in the crowded room other than our own. Enat didn’t disappoint. The room has the ambiance of a family sports bar. A wide screen TV is fitted against a large wall; a soccer game was on when we first visited. Families were situated around the tables with linen tablecloths covered with glass and many eyes were glued to the screen. As you walk in you will see a large granite bar with a young bartender expertly mixing drinks. Well behaved children shared bites of Wat with injera on a communal plate with the rest of their family. Relaxation and comfort is the name of the game here. You see businessmen in suits and others in shorts, t-shirts, jeans and sneakers.

Abiye Bisrat is the owner. He’s an affable man with an ingratiating charm who immediately made us feel welcome. The name Enat means “mama” in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. This is exactly how we were made to feel, as if we were eating Mama’s cooking in the family dining room. (more…)

Grand Mart International Food, Alexandria, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Sep 25, 2012 in Alexandria, VA, Asian, Caribbean, Ethiopian, Grocers, I-395, Indian, Italian, Markets, Mexican, Middle Eastern | 0 comments

Grand Mart International Food is a mecca of exotic fruits and vegetables. I didn’t see anything in the way of organics but they certainly had a wide variety of unusual produce, much of which I was entirely unfamiliar. What I did recognize were the isles of ethnic foods and spices. Most prevalent were the spice blends which comes in handy when you are experimenting with various cuisines and would like to sample the flavors of a region without investing in all the individual herbs and spices contained in particular regional blends. Available were also rices, beans, noodles and other fare native to many regional cuisines, including Asian, Indian and Hispanic to mention only a few.

Abingdon Farmers’ Market, Abingdon, VA

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jun 18, 2012 in Abingdon, VA, Farmers' Markets, I-81 | 0 comments

This is my favorite local market. It meets twice a week, Saturday mornings from 7 am to noon and Tuesday afternoons from 3 pm to 6 pm. You can find plenty of fresh seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs, seedlings for your garden, fresh breads and pastries, jams, salsas, coffees, homemade soaps, jewelry, flowers, and sometimes art. Many of the vendors offer organic fare and Saturdays usually feature some sort of entertainment. Arrive early for the best of the best. Parking is no problem.