Monday, June 14, 2010

Doro WHAT?

As  we prepare for Little Sister's homecoming, I realized that I should be practicing what are most likely her favorite foods.  Two things I have consistently seen listed by children who are waiting for their forever families are Injera and Doro Wat.  (Oh, and much to my relief, PASTA.)

Now injera I get.  I am a girl who grew up on Tex Mex and injera sounds like a sourdough version of a torilla.  I think I can do that.  The fermentation of the teff (a tiny Ethiopian grain) will probably take some practice, but SURELY I can figure it out, right?  The other dish I see mentioned is called Doro Wat...Ethiopian Chicken Stew.  Sounds good, right?  You take a piece of injera and scoop up the stew and pop it in your mouth.  Yummy, yes?

But then I read the ingredients and, apparently Ethiopians LOVE them some spicy food.  As in take-the-tastebuds-right-off and put-hair-on-your-chest spicy.  Oh boy.  You mean my little three-year old darling LIKES that?  Now I am all for spicy Tex-Mex, have even sweated through some Chicka-Chicka-Boom-Boom and loads of Creamy Jalapeno sauce (can I get a witness?) but I am thinking this is a level of heat that, until now, has been unknown to my tongue.  I may be making two versions of doro wat...Little Sister's comfort food edition and, well, a milder version for the rest of us wimps.
Coming up...Injera with piles of Doro Wat, Misir Wat, and Yataklete Kilkil.  Yowzers!

Ewww.




4 comments:

  1. Hey, I'm a fellow PAP from AWAA. Just have to say that Doro Wat is fantastic. (Especially if you use Marcus Samuellson's recipe from Soul of a New Cuisine.) We've tried about four recipes, and some are a bit "hotter" than others, but his isn't even really "hot", it just leaves your lips a little tingly. And I'm from Minnesota, a state known for their wussiness where spice is concerned. (I've known some people who think potato salad is spicy?)

    In any case, love reading your blog :)

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  2. Heather,
    Great to "meet" you! Thanks for the recipe advice. I am assuming it tastes better than it looks! ha ha
    I had to laugh at your "wussiness" comment...Potato Salad? That is hilarious.
    I'll let you know how it turns out!

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  3. Tiffini's little guys like to use pita to scoop up hummus, etc. She had them at church yesterday for the first time since they came home. It was sooo nice to see them, although we all kept the attention VERY low key to give them the time they need to make every new adjustment in their little lives. So,...extra hot and spicey, eh? Oh my. But I'm cracking up at Heather's wussiness comment as well.
    Blessings,
    Toni

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  4. I read this and had to comment -- I LOVE teff. I buy it as a whole grain and use it for porridge, boiled with some cranberries, soy milk, coconut, and a little molasses. (I'm not dairy free, but the soy milk has a bit more body than the skim or lowfat milk we have at home, and helps the teff taste nice and creamy.) Now I just have to convince Shawn to adopt an ethiopian baby. Might be a tough sell, what with the 4 week old at home.

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