Shadi’s Tahini salad

Shadi in her kitchen   This dish comes from a woman called Shadi, who I met during a whistle stop tour of Sudan. Shadi called the dish a salad, but I feel some clarification is needed so that people aren’t misled into thinking this is healthy. In my books, this salad leapfrogs ‘bad salad’ status…

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Goshe’s (wife’s) Lamb Tibs

  Goshe, who was in charge of keeping us alive and out of trouble during our trek This recipe comes from a man called Goshe, who acted as our ‘scout’ for the 250km trek we did in the Ethiopian Highlands and was, as far as I could tell, an absolute hero. Goshe was one of…

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Toyibajarnal’s ‘Special’ Ful with Spicy Tea

  Toyibajarnal in her kitchen during the breakfast rush This next recipe is a great little breakfast dish called ful, that’s made using fava (broad) beans, tomatoes and spices and eaten with great hunks of fresh bread and a sweet spicy tea. Ful is popular in loads of different Middle Eastern and African countries so…

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Harar street food: what, where and when to eat it

The food in Harar was too amazing not to write about. So, I feel it is my duty as a food lover to share some of the delicious dishes and snacks I discovered there, for anyone else heading there too. The walled city of Harar is in the East of Ethiopia, a UNESCO World Hertiage…

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Mahalit’s Shiro

The town of Lalibela marks the end of our long trek through the Ethiopian highlands. We arrive in need of a shower and somewhere to shake the dust out of all our things. Also, just in time before I have a full-blown meltdown about having to walk up another hill. Lalibela is famous for its…

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Nurlin’s Doro Wat (chicken stew)

One of the first things Cass and I did in Ethiopia was a long trek through the Simien Mountains to the ancient town of Lalibela. We walked more than 250km in 15 days, camping in villages along the way. It was tough, smelly and dusty, but beautiful and a great introduction to the country and…

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