Auxiliary (three-digit) | Veggin' Out And About

Ethiopian Cuisine In and Around Our Nation’s Capital

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Nov 25, 2012 in -Cuisine, Ethiopian, I-495, I-81 | 0 comments

Ethiopian Cuisine is a sure-fire way to find healthy vegan foods on the road. There are 180 religious days of fasting in Ethiopia, in which no animal products of any kind can be eaten, and many personal fasting days relating to prayer and the death of loved ones means that some Ethiopians will fast up to 300 days in a year. The cuisine lends itself beautifully to a whole foods plant-based diet. It consists of a variety of vegetable stews imbued with a unique savory blend of Ethiopian spices called Berberé. The flavors range from highly spiced red lentils to a dish of very mild carrots and cabbage stewed just to the point that the natural sweetness of the vegetables shine, contrasting with and at the same time complimenting the flavors of the surrounding dishes.

The stews, or Wat, arrive arranged in a circle on a platter topped with injera, a slightly sour spongy flat bread which is a staple in Ethiopia. Injera is made of an African whole grain called Teff, which is high in iron and other nutrients. In the US there seems to be some problem getting the traditional mixture to rise properly and form the little holes, or “eyes,” in the thin pancake which give it its spongy texture. Therefore, Teff is mixed with other grains such as buckwheat and spelt to give it the texture of authentic Ethiopian injera without the loss of flavor or nutrition. Another piece of injera, usually rolled up in a kind of tubular shape, is served on the side. Utensils are not a part of the Ethiopian dining experience. To eat the stews, one must tear off a piece of the injera, place it over a portion of the stew and pinch the stew within the bread. Then just pop it into your mouth. What a liberating experience! When the side of injera is completed, then you begin eating the injera on your plate. Permeated with the juices of the stew it is often considered the best part of the meal.

Samboussa

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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.

Suwana’s Thai Orchid, Asheville, NC

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jul 8, 2012 in Asheville, NC, Asian, I-240, I-26 | 2 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Asheville, North Carolina was recently voted the best small city in which to find vegetarian restaurants. Somehow, Suwana’s Thai Orchid was overlooked in several of the on-line vegetarian search engines. We are so tired of the standard vegan fare, meatless meals made to look like meat, tofu out the wazoo. What we want are delicious fresh vegetables presented in healthy, tasty sauces. Suwana’s Thai Orchid certainly accomplishes that.