This event takes place in the CCFE Solutions Salon at CSI Spadina, 192 Spadina Ave., Suite 501

Eritrea, together with its neighbour Ethiopia, are home to many ancient, complex and diverse societies. Different ethnic groups inhabit ecosystems ranging from coastal Red Sea lowlands to fertile mountainous highlands, arid deserts to sub-tropical rainforests, each home to distinct ingredients and cuisines. More than 90 languages are spoken across the countries (some by only a few thousand people), primarily Amharic, Tigrinya (in Eritrea and the North) and Afaan Oromo.

For those familiar with Ethiopian/Eritrean restaurant menus, the names of dishes most often appear as Amharic transliterations (but can still vary a lot as there is no official system) regardless of the actual mother tongue of the business; we’ve added names in Tigrinya where possible [in square brackets].

Tonight Asmait Merhatsion will share with us a homemade meal of traditional dishes together with an introduction to the coffee ceremony, one of the most cherished social rituals of daily life in Eritrea.

Bonus: both myself (Len) and my colleague Neil Coletta have been long-time fans and collectors of Ethiopian music of the 70’s & 80’s, and will put together a special playlist for tonight’s dinner.
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Kitfo ክትፎ
Eritrean/Ethiopian ‘beef tartare’; finely chopped raw beef seasoned with korarima (Ethiopian black cardamom, aka Grains of Paradise), mitmita (red chili powder), and nit’ir qibe [tesmi], clarified butter infused with a host of spices, served with injera crisps

Kaye Sir ቀይሥር
Beetroot salad, served with injera crisps.

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Typically a family meal features a large platter lined with homemade injera, a slightly sour fermented flatbread made from teff, a tiny, highly nutritious grain endemic to Eritrea/Ethiopia, topped with a colourful selection of different meat and vegetable dishes. The food is traditionally eaten by hand, with guests sharing the communal platter (optional).

Doro w’et ዶሮ ወጥ
Chicken in a rich, onion-based sauce (kulet) infused with spicy *berbere (*a complex, homemade spice blend unique to each chef), and topped with a hard-boiled egg. Often considered the national dish of Ethiopia, and served on holidays or special occasions.

Tibs ጥብሲ [Tibsi/Qulwa]
Small cubes of beef, fried in nit’ir qibe (spice-infused ghee) with onions, tomato, ginger, garlic, and other spices.

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Devout Ethiopian Christians observe more than 200 fasting days, during which they eat no meat and refrain from eating until noon; others may only fast during Lent. This tradition of t’som megeb (fasting food) provides a large selection vegetarian dishes.

Shiro ሽሮ
A thick paste of chickpea flour cooked with a blend spices, ginger, garlic, onion, and tomato. It’s often called metin shiro, where metin means measured, suggesting that one must combine just the right amount of spices to create the perfect flavour profile.

Misr W’et ምስር [Ades]
Misr (red) stews tend to be spicy from the addition of the characteristic hot berbere spice blend. This is one of the most well known, with red lentils, onions, cumin, tomato, garlic, and ginger.

Kik Alicha ምስር [Tumtumo]
Alicha (yellow) stews are made without berbere, thus not spicy, and are often made with turmeric to enhance the colour. This classic dish features yellow split pea, stewed with onion, ginger, garlic, turmeric, and black cardamom.

Atakilt W’et አታከልት [Kawlo]
Atakilt (vegetable) is another classic combination of cabbage [kawlo], onion, carrot, potato, turmeric, garlic, and ginger.

Gomen ጎመን [Hamli]
Gomen (greens) are a staple dish, made with collards or kale braised with onion, garlic, ginger, tomato, and spices.

Salata ሰላጣ
A fresh green salad of lettuce, tomato, onion and jalapeño in a simple, tangy lemon dressing refreshes the palate and brightens up the whole platter.

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The meal will close with an introduction to the traditional Habesha coffee ceremony. Typically performed by the woman of the household when hosting relatives, neighbours, or honoured guests, it is more than just a coffee break, it’s an intimate ritual of social, emotional and spiritual connection. Green coffee is first roasted over an open flame in a pan; the aroma of the roasting beans is an important part of the experience, and sometimes incense is also burned. The coffee is then ground, often using a traditional wooden mortar and pestle, then brewed in a traditional long-necked clay pot (jebena) with a spherical base and pouring spout. Served in small handleless cups, the coffee is served alongside a small snack such as popcorn or peanuts.

For tonight’s dinner Asmait has prepared her signature teff cookies with orange and cinnamon.

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$79 +HST

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Asmait Merhatsion was born in Eritrea, and moved to Canada with her family from Israel in 2022. She started to cook at home at a young age as was typical for girls in her community. When she lived in Israel, a friend invited Asmait to start teaching cooking workshops with her. From then on she began to work with people from all over the world, making dishes together every weekend as an extra income source for her family. Here in Canada, she graduated from Newcomer Kitchen’s food entrepreneurship program, and now hopes to continue to pursue her favourite thing — cooking — as a way to promote her culture and to start her own business.
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