Accompanying the platter of Ethiopian stews, called wots, were individual baskets of Injera, the traditional bread in the form of large round, thin, spongelike pancakes folded into quarters. Eating Ethiopian style involves tearing off a small portion of Injera and using it to scoop up a portion of stew. The Injera becomes the utensil in place of the fork. The only difference is that each bite is accompanied by a separate piece of delicious Injera with its distinct sourdough flavor.

The first bite I savored was a Yemiser Kik Wot, zesty split lentils stewed in red pepper sauce and spices that offered a rich complexity of flavors. Then I tasted the Yeabesha Gomen Wot, a collard greens stew tastefully heightened with garlic and green pepper. Soon I found my Injera-lined fingers gravitating to the Yefasoulia Wet, a mixed vegetable stew that combined string beans, carrots, potatoes, and onions deliciously seasoned with garlic, ginger, and turmeric powder.

We had eaten Ethiopian food many times before but had never encountered this variety of offerings. New to my repertoire was the Yemiten Shiro Wot, a ragout of powdered chickpeas seasoned with berbere, the traditional red pepper sauce indigenous to Ethiopian cuisine. Another unfamiliar dish was the whole lentils seasoned with lemon, salt, horseradish, and jalapeno. Yet another new taste was the Siljo, a broad bean paste tastefully seasoned with the tang of lemon.

The stews mentioned here were a mere introduction to those we devoured on our visit to Rahel's restaurant. Ethiopian cuisine is endowed with a wealth of vegetable, legume, and spice dishes that Rahel prepares with an alchemist's flair.

- vegparadise.com
A Los Angeles Vegetarian Web Magazine