Taste of Ethiopia via Fresh Direct

We logged into Fresh Direct to do our weekly grocery order, and the main page was prominently displaying promos for Taste of Ethiopia pre-made meals.  DOUBLE TAKE.  Ethiopian food?  On Fresh Direct?  

 

We're accustomed to their more predictable "meals on the go" cuisine options - American, Italian, Chinese, Indian, and Mexican.  But Ethiopian... this was a first.  So of course we had to try it!

They offer four meal combo possibilities.  We decided on two:  the "spicy chicken stew & yellow split peas" and the "spicy red lentils & cabbage and carrots." 

They make the dishes very easy to heat.  You simply pull the plastic of the container back a few inches and microwave for 3-5 minutes.  You can also prepare them on the stove if you prefer.  We were hungry, so we went with the quicker microwave method.  Indeed, within 4 minutes all the dishes were bubbling hot and our apartment had the delicious aroma of Ethiopian spices.

We dished up a little of each and dug in with a knife and fork.  (Though Taste of Ethiopia does distribute injera, it's not yet offered on Fresh Direct.)

The Verdict

 

spicy chicken stew (doro wot): delicious and definitely the right level of spicy; the chunks of chicken were a bit small, but the flavor of the sauce made up for it 

yellow split peas (kik):  the consistency was a bit off; the lentils were a little firmer than we're used to, which meant the dish as a whole was not as smooth; this also led it to become dry as the plate cooled, so we found ourselves mixing it with the doro wot sauce

cabbage with carrots (yatakilt):  tasty, though it didn't have much flavor on its own; also began mixing it with the doro wot sauce

spicy red lentils (misir):  great flavor and consistency while hot, though as it cooled it also became a bit dry and stiff like the split peas

As you may have noticed, it was really the doro wot that carried the meal.  That sauce brought all the other dishes to another level, especially as they became dry.  We realized that using the microwave may have played a role in sapping some of the moisture from the starchy veggie dishes, so next time we will consider heating everything on the stove.  But overall, even without the injera, it was an enjoyable meal.  DJ put it best:  The Taste of Ethiopia meals are a great option if you don't have access to Ethiopian home cooking or a good nearby restaurant. 

Upon visiting the Taste of Ethiopia website, we discovered that this company is really catching on!  Their pre-made dishes (including bags of injera) are available at very popular supermarkets like Whole Foods and Fairway.  They're also becoming known for some experimental fusion dishes (photos courtesy of the "tasteofEthiopia" Instagram account, which Mel is definitely following now):

Ethiopian tacos
(featured in Rachael Ray Magazine last June)...

honey wine (tej) ice cream...
 

and tibs wot raviolo with yellow split peas! 


Keep your eye on these guys; they are really making their mark!  And in the meantime if you're hankering for easily-accessible Ethiopian food, their packaged meals are worth a try.  Nothing can compare to what comes out of the kitchens of DJ's mom and aunt, of course.  But as with all of these cuisines that have become mainstreamed and mass produced, 'tis usually the case that home cooking is better.  (Doubtful that anyone ever chose Ragu over what Nonna makes for Sunday dinner, but it'll suffice when you need convenience.)  We'll see if we can stop by one of the supermarkets carrying the injera, grab a sample, and report back.  Stay tuned!