Ethiopian Food

“I will praise you in the storm…I will lift my hands, [glad that] you are who you are…” What a good song that is on the radio right now. I don’t feel like I am in the storm right now, but I love the assurance that He is there, always, unwaveringly, no matter the weather or the throes of life. God is there, He is big, He is strong, He is good and to be trusted, no matter the circumstances. Hmm, good song and good truth about our loving God.

Friday night while sipping tea at an Ethiopian restaurant with a friend, I decided that I wanted to learn how to make Ethiopian food. I bought a bag of the special Injera bread (sourdough pancake), and that night at home I printed off internet recipes of key Ethiopian dishes. Yesterday, after watching the senior high basketball game, I cut up onions; minced garlic; measured cardamom and coriander spices; chopped up chilies; simmered dal lentils; and worked away. Several hours later, I had four Ethiopian dishes ready for Mark and the kids to eat with me. I love that my kids are brave and used to eating new foods. They are actually very familiar with Ethiopian food, since our family likes Fasika’s, an Ethiopian restaurant in town. Summary: while I had followed the recipes nearly exactly, it wasn’t exactly what we had been hoping for, used to special dishes at Fasika’s. One or two of them were really good, and we’ll make again. So, the quest will continue another day, looking for recipes that reproduce those delicious dishes. My Atar Allecha dish was our favorite. “This tastes like theirs, Jen,” Mark said. “Mmm, now if we just mix this beef from here in to that…Mmmm. Try that!” he said. We ate the food several times that night.

How are you? Where are you reading in the Bible lately and what is hitting you about it?