Djibouti

The rich cuisine of Djibouti is a mixture of French, Asian and African culinary specialties. The country shares many of the same foods and cooking techniques with its neighbor, Ethiopia. For example, the Djiboutian people use injera bread to scoop up mouthfuls from assorted meat and vegetable platters, just as Ethiopians do. Foods are commonly prepared using a lot of spices, ranging from saffron to cinnamon, bearing a trace of the Arabic influence on the nation’s cuisine and culture as a whole. Spicy dishes come in many variations, from the traditional fah-fah (spicy boiled beef) to the yetakelt wet (spicy mixed vegetable stew). Popular side dishes are lentils and rice, which are typically covered with sauces such as the hot berbere or the buttery nitter kibbeh.

Meat is usually a part of every meal and often fried. Fish dishes are also prevalent, since Djibouti borders the Red Sea. Alcohol is not widely available, due to the fact that the Djiboutian people are predominantly Muslim and cannot consume alcohol.—Alexandra Menglide

0 comments