How to Order a GF Meal
As I work on a new lineup of delicious gluten-free recipes to send out in the coming weeks, I’m going to do write on a slightly different topic today: ordering GF meals in restaurants. Specifically, I’m going to explain how to order a GF meal at an Ethiopian restaurant, because it’s not obvious what you need to ask for.
I recently “discovered” what is probably the best Ethiopian restaurant in the Washington, DC, area (Nazret, which has been around for years and featured in “best of” lists), and I realized that, if someone on a GF diet doesn’t know how to order a meal at an Ethiopian restaurant, they’ll never get to experience all the warm, subtle flavors the recipes from that part of the world offer.
That’s because injera—a flat, spongy bread with a light gray/beige (taupe?) color, soft texture, and slightly sour taste (from sourdough fermentation)—is an essential part of the meal. The plate your food arrives on is topped with a large, round piece of injera before having the various dishes—lamb tibs, beef kitfo, chicken doro wat, spicy lentils, etc.—ladled over the bread. And there are no forks or spoons, because you use pieces of injera to scoop up bite-sized portions of the seasoned vegetables and meats and pop the whole package into our mouth. While all of the meat and vegetable dishes are typically gluten-free, unfortunately, the standard injera Ethiopian restaurants use contains wheat flour, so it is obviously off-limits for any GF diner.
Have a friend who would like to know more about GF dining?
But you definitely want to experience Ethiopian food, because the flavors are flavors are wonderful, based on blends of spices that include cumin, cardamom, cloves, fenugreek, allspice, chili peppers, ginger, nutmeg, and turmeric. There are more, of course, but you get the idea. Oh, and then there’s the butter. Ethiopian cuisine relies heavily on clarified butter (aka ghee), which is also seasoned before going into the recipes. The seasonings are used for vegetable dishes, such as lentil and pea stews of all colors, collards, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots. They’re also used in meat dishes, especially lamb, beef, and chicken, that often include garlic, onions, hot peppers, and tomatoes.
So how does the GF diner get to experience all of this?
By ordering injera made with 100% teff flour, which is 100% gluten-free, that’s how!
Teff is the grain that has traditionally been used to make injera. The word “teff” means “lost”, because the grains are so tiny that if you drop one, you’ll never find it.
Restaurants default to the wheat-containing injera because it costs less, but if you’re willing to pay a few dollars to get the good stuff, ask for “100% teff injera” to be served with your meal, both as the plate topper and on the side for grabbing bites. Not only will your meal be gluten-free, you’ll enjoy it in the more traditional way! Pure teff injera is more expensive than the standard injera, so expect to pay a few dollars extra per person for it.
What’s interesting is that you’ll never see 100% teff injera mentioned on the menu. You just have to know to ask for it. While all of the Ethiopian restaurants I’ve been to in the DC region have had teff injera available, that may not be the case in every Ethiopian restaurant in the country, so it’s probably wise to call ahead to be sure. If it’s not available, you can ask the restaurant if they’ll make rice as a substitute for the injera, which is not as good as injera, but works in a pinch if you’re going out with friends for Ethiopian.
So now that you have your 100% teff injera in front of you, how do you use it?
Tear about a 4-inch square off of your side of injera, hold it between your thumb and fingers and grab a mouth-sized portion of whatever you want to try. Put the whole package in your mouth and enjoy! Here’s another pro tip: the best injera is the stuff on the plate, where it’s been soaking up all the wonderful butter and seasonings. Be sure to eat every last bit of that spice-laden injera, using the same method as described above. If you can’t finish it, bring it home in a box and eat it tomorrow.
So, all of my GF friends, go out and find your local Ethiopian restaurant and start enjoying their fabulous cooking!
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