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…)

Sahib Fine Indian Cuisine, Johnson City, TN

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Feb 17, 2013 in I-26, Indian, Johnson City, TN | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Sahib is an authentic Indian restaurant located right off of Interstate 26 in Johnson City at the Roan Street Exit, Exit 20 if you are heading south, exit 20A if heading north. It is a little tricky to get to. From Roan Street take a right onto Brown’s Mills Road.. It is located behind the Days Inn, facing the interstate.

The food is very good. Vik Vantrana and Chef Gurvinder Singh co-own Sahib. Chef Singh runs the kitchen while his wife, Ekta, and Vik’s cousin, Barry Nirola, manage the dining area. Vik is the general manager overseeing the entirety of the business. While the building is not the newest on the block and is beginning to show its age, the food is marvelous and the service is friendly and accommodating. Barry and our favorite waiter, Daniel, will take good care of you. (more…)

Palak Aloo (Potatoes & Spinach) Video from Sahib’s Restaurant

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Feb 17, 2013 in I-26, Indian, Johnson City, TN | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Vik Vatrana and his former partner, Chef Guvinder Singh, of Sahib’s Indian restaurant in Johnson City, TN, generously contributed this recipe for North Indian Palak Aloo, North Indian Spinach and Potatoes.

Before cooking this recipe, be sure to read the ingredient list carefully and have everything within reach so you won’t be scrambling for ingredients in the middle of the process. This is a very quick dish to make. Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of ingredients. You are using many of the same ingredients in the sauces and the main dish. This is very easy to prepare. You’ll be an expert in no time! (more…)

Roti from Sahib Fine Indian Cuisine

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Feb 16, 2013 in I-26, Indian, Johnson City, TN | 0 comments

Here is a great short video on making Roti from Sahib Restaurant in Johnson City TN.

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

by Danielle Bussone

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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Coyote Kitchen

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Oct 28, 2012 in Boone, NC, Caribbean, Southwestern US | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Coyote Kitchen is located in Boone, NC in a shopping center next to Walmart. It has been a hangout of ours since it was first created by Mike and Nova Nelson, owners of Hob Nob Farm Cafe (see post). It is a fusion of Caribbean and Southwestern cuisines, what they refer to as Southwest Caribbean Soulfood.

The new owner has carried on the fine example set by the Nelsons serving farm fresh produce and free range chickens. Most of the dishes can be made vegan. I’ve experimented with a variety over the past couple years. I don’t much care for soy products so I have them replace them with Jamaican lima beans or some other vegetable. My favorites are the boats. (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.