These two recipes are toppings for injera, the traditional Ethiopian bread. --------------------

DORO WAT (Chicken Stew)

Yield: 8 portions. In a 4-to 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy stewpot:

Brown 3 cups ONION, very finely chopped, with a tablespoon or so of butter, until quite brown, stirring constantly. (If your children are not onion-lovers, try pureeing the onions in the food processor. This is quicker than chopping anyway.

Add:

1/4 cup BUTTER or OLIVE OIL 1/2 tsp. CAYENNE PEPPER 1 tsp. PAPRIKA 1/2... more

Lots of new adoptive parents report that their new kids are picky about food at first, especially kids older than toddler age. American food can be very different from Ethiopian food, and the newness of it all can be overwhelming.

Foods most commonly refused by new kids include: bacon, cold cereal, milk, frosting, hot dogs, unpeeled fruit, oatmeal, pizza, and soup. An especially hated item (by many kids anyway) seems to be cheese, especially if it has been melted.

Some people have reported that their kids will eat macaroni and cheese if berbere is liberally sprinkled on top. In fact... more

Mary's Favorite 30 Minute Stirfry Serves 6

2 cups thin-sliced beef 2 T. sesame (or olive) oil 1 onion, sliced into long thin slices 2 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly on the diagonal 1 cup slivered cabbage 1 sweet pepper, sliced long and thin 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms 2 T. sugar 2 T. soy sauce 1/2 cup water 2 T. cornstarch 1 clove minced garlic sprinkle of sesame seeds, optional Cooked rice

Start rice cooking and slice meat and vegetables. Sprinkle beef with 1 T. sesame oil and mix oil through the beef with your hands. Stir fry beef in a hot skillet or wok until meat is just... more

Ethiopian Lentil Stew

1/2 large onion, chopped 1 + 1/4 cup red lentils 2 1/4 cups water 1 garlic clove, crushed 1-2 Tbs. berberé spice mixture 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes

Mix lentils with water, garlic, onion, and spices. Cook, uncovered, over medium-low heat, for 20 minutes or until the lentils have softened. Watch carefully and add water if it starts to dry out. Add the tomatoes and heat at least 15 more minutes. Good alone, over injera, or over whole grains such as brown rice.

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Injera... more

There is something magical about traveling to a foreign country to go pick up your child. Senses are on high alert. Nerves are keyed up. Your brain is soaking in as much of the overwhelming newness as possible, trying to get a handle on this country in which your child was born.

Our first morning in Ethiopia, we went down to breakfast just an hour or so before we would be heading to the orphanage. We were tired from just getting in the night before, but keyed up. I couldn’t wait to hold my little girl. But our jetlagged selves were also ready for some breakfast.

The buffet table at the Ghion... more

Two staples of Ethiopian dining are injera, which is Ethiopian flat bread, and berbere, a spice used heavily in many Ethiopian recipes. You can buy both of these items online if you are not into cooking. But if you want to give these items a try yourselves, here are some simple recipes modified to be made with ingredients easily found in US grocery stores.

Injera-- Bread of Ethiopia

Yield: 5 9-inch pancakes

Combine: 1 cup BUCKWHEAT PANCAKE MIX 1 cup BISCUIT MIX 1 EGG Add: 1 Tbs. OIL 1 1/2-2 cups WATER to obtain an easy pouring consistency.

Bring a... more