Food Talk

Enjoying the Customary Three Cups of Coffee in Eritrea

Say “tu’um” in Eritrea to show appreciation for the healthy foods cooked with care. Say it again when served coffee, a national delicacy, in the traditional manner.
- By John Jacobs

In the Horn of Africa in Eastern Africa lies the musical-sounding Eritrea, with the Red Sea forming the country’s eastern border. French photographer Eric Lafforgue spent some time in Eritrea capturing the country’s unique qualities in pictures and talked about his impressions to Issayas Tesfamariam.

“Each time I go to Eritrea,” he says, “I appreciate the quietness of the country, the kindness and hospitality of the people, the beauty of the countryside, the sea, and the unique architecture…” The kindness and hospitality that he refers to is on display when partaking of meals and coffee with the locals because that is when they can share the bounty of their agricultural country. From the traditional home-cooked meal of tsebhi (stew) and injera (bread) to the Italian cuisine served in all restaurants, Eritrea is a country full of food surprises.

Delightful Variety of Foods
Eritrea’s food is based in its history.Briefly, Italians captured the Eritrea coastal area in 1885 and eventually established a colony, and to this day the influence of Italy is found in Eritrea’s culture. In fact, the very name of Eritrea was derived from the Roman name for the Red Sea which is Mare Erythraeum. Ruling until World War II, the Italians lost control to the British in 1941 which administered the country as a UN Trust Territory until 1952. At that point in time, Eritrea was federated with Ethiopia and became an Ethiopian province in 1962, but it was not a happy union. Civil war broke out and endured for 32 years until 1993 when Eritrea became an independent nation. The period of Italian colonization had a strong influence on Eritrea. The largest city is Asmara, while Massawa sits on the Red Sea; in both locations, the restaurants offer menus dominated by Italian cuisine. In Massawa, restaurant menu selections do include pizza and pasta dishes, but it is the local agricultural products and seasonings that turn Italian into a unique experience. Eritrea offers a wealth of fresh agricultural meats and vegetables, and Massawa restaurants are renowned for serving fresh seafood.

It is not just Italians who have influenced the restaurant foods. There is a delightful variety of restaurants serving Arab, Ethiopian, Indian and traditional Eritrean cuisine. Many of the foods include berbere, a blend of North African pepper spices. Traditional Eritrean foods begin with injera, a spongy pancake that is made from teff, barley, wheat, sorghum or maize. Injera is very thin, and the sponginess comes from allowing ground-up grains to ferment for a couple of days before baking or frying. Injera is served with a variety of stews, soups or sauces called wat or tsebhi. Sauces are meat-based, when families can afford meat, or vegetable-based. Tsebhi is a meat sauce made of beef or lamb and tomatoes. It can be quite spicy thanks to hot peppers. Another traditional thin bread is kitcha which is made from wheat.

Waking Up the Taste Buds
With a rich variety of agricultural products, stews are naturally popular. In fact, Eritrea’s national dish is zigini, a tomato-based stew made with beef or lamb, spiced up with berbere, and served with injera which can be used as a scoop to eat the stew. Eritreans like foods that wake up the taste buds like Zigna assa (fish stew), shiro (chickpea porridge with a variety of spices), ful (stewed beans cooked with onions, tomatoes and spices), and ades (lentils). These are healthy foods loaded with vitamins and minerals, and usually purchased in a market selling seasonal crop foods like vegetables, peanuts, fruits and cereals.

Eritrea is approximately half Muslim and half Orthodox Christian, so religion naturally influences the food choices. Both religions have long periods of fasting. Nai tsom, a dish made with a variety of vegetables, is a fasting food. However, religious celebrations and traditional meals will see foods served like capretto (goat served as a rack of meat), ox or sheep, and of course, injera.

The hospitality of Eritreans is most evident as the food is served. Most prepared foods are placed on a large platter which is set on a low table. People gather around the communal platter to share the food.

The food is served in a way that makes sharing easy. For example, rolled-up injera is placed around the outside edge of the platter, and the stew is poured in the middle. Guests break off pieces of injera to use as scoops for eating the stew. This is when it is time to say “tu’um” to let the hostess know how delicious the food tastes.

Coffee Represents Community
There are a few more things to know about Eritrean foods. Siwa is the national alcoholic beverage that is similar to beer, and mess is a fermented drink made from honey. Abake is a non-alcoholic drink produced by the Muslim locals. City people enjoy drinks made of a blend of fruits like bananas and papayas when the fruit is in season. Coffee is so popular that it is considered a delicacy and customs have grown up around its serving.

It is an honor to be asked to share coffee in Eritrea. Coffee or bun is made by Eritrean women who wash and roast the green coffee beans on a rush mat (menkeshkesh). Once the beans are dark enough, the mat is passed around the guests so they can fan the smoke from the roasted beans and enjoy the aroma. The beans are then ground and placed in a pot, and water is added. The mixture is brought to a boil on a charcoal brazier but is never allowed to boil over.

When ready, strained coffee is served with sugar in small cups called finjals, and guests are offered snacks like popcorn. Great effort is put into a coffee invitation and preparation. Tradition says guests must have at least three cups of coffee before it is acceptable to leave.

This ritual is an important cultural event that reaffirms community, whether people live in the country or have joined the large Eritrea Diaspora. Kindness and hospitality go wherever Eritreans go.

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