DINISH
Potato, cabbage and carrots
SERVES 4–6 AS PART OF A SHARED MEAL // PREP TIME 15 MINS // COOK 1 HR
“Dinish is also called alicha, a name used for mild Ethiopian
dishes in general,” says Saba Alemayoh. “This dish is made
for people that may have a lower spice tolerance or for young
children, but also as an accompaniment to spicier dishes.”
1 tbsp neutral oil, such as
sunflower
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely
chopped
1 tbsp ground turmeric
2 carrots, coarsely diced
2 cups (firmly packed)
shredded green cabbage,
plus extra to serve
1 kg potatoes, such as
Sebago, cut into 4cm pieces
2 long green chillies, sliced,
plus extra to serve
1 Heat oil in a casserole or
heavy-based saucepan over
medium heat, then add onion
and stir occasionally until onion
starts to brown (8-10 minutes).
Add garlic and sauté until
fragrant (1-2 minutes). Add
turmeric and stir, then add just
enough water to stop the
turmeric burning (about 1 tbsp),
so mixture looks like a thick
paste. Add carrots and stir until
they are al dente (2-3 minutes),
adding 1 tbsp extra water at a
time if needed. Add shredded
cabbage, potatoes and chilli,
season with salt, cover and
cook, stirring occasionally, until
potato is tender but not broken
down (40-45 minutes; don’t
overcook the potatoes or you’ll
end up with mash). Scatter over
extra shredded cabbage and
sliced chillies to serve. ➤T
he foundations of Ethiopian cuisine are onion,
garlic and Ethiopian chilli (also known as
berbere), says Saba Alemayoh, owner of Saba’s
Ethiopian Restaurant in Fitzroy, Melbourne.
“But Ethiopian chilli is not just ground-up chilli – it’s
an intricate mix of spices passed from mother to
daughter. Depending on who is making it, it can have
anywhere from 15 to 50 different spices,” she adds.
Ethiopian chilli, which is more of an aromatic than
a hot spice, is used generously in the Ethiopian feast
Alemayoh has shared with us for this month’s issue.
The dishes are inspired by the menu at her restaurant,
which is created and cooked by Alemayoh’s mother,
head chef Tekebash Gebre.
Getting Gebre’s recipes down on paper required
some careful observation. “Like all great cooks, my
mother follows no recipes but is a slave to her taste
buds for measurements and adjustments,” says
Alemayoh. “I have watched her closely – hopefully
it hasn’t turned into Chinese whispers!”
As well as Ethiopian chilli, the recipes feature
many other spices and aromats, such as garlic, ginger,
fenugreek, nigella seeds and dried red onion, which
make the overall flavours more rounded and complex.
Mostly vegetable-based – the majority of the
Orthodox Christian community in Ethiopia eat
exclusively vegan for much of the year – the collection
also includes a couple of spicy meat dishes, reflective
of how the community eats post-Lent.
“Ethiopian cuisine’s development was influenced
by availability and faith,” says Alemayoh. “The non-
colonial history of the nation meant that it developed
in a vacuum, a unique cuisine, reliant on spices and
slow-cooking methods.”
The dishes are designed to be eaten together as a
feast, but work just as well on their own. Whichever
way you chose to eat them, Alemayoh believes they
provide a snapshot of her culture.
“Food is not only sustenance,” she says. “It tells
the stories below the surface.”
Saba’s Ethiopian Restaurant, 328 Brunswick St, Fitzroy,
VIC, (03) 8589 0442, sabasethiopianrestaurant.comPARTNERPROMOTION
Winesuggestionsby BirdinHand2018 Bird in Hand
Syrah, Adelaide
Hills, $40
Intense berry notes
matched with a
bright, acidic profile.
Pair with beef
short ribs p762020 Bird in Hand
Sauvignon Blanc,
Adelaide Hills, $25
Fresh and tropical
aromats balanced
with a hit of acidity.
Pair with braised
greens p782017 Bird in Hand
Montepulciano,
Adelaide Hills, $40
Fruity and full-bodied
complemented by a
rustic tannin profile.
Pair with lamb
and okra p80
WORDS MICHAEL HARDEN.