I’m from Rochester, NY where they have two Ethiopian restaurants… amazing!! I’m vegetarian so obviously I only eat off the vegetarian menu. My favorite is shiro wat, which is apparently the most difficult to make… requires powdered split peas (or lentils?) and certain spices that I can’t figure out.

One of the restaurants told me they make the injera out of half white flour and half teff because teff is expensive. I’ve found whole grain teff flour… I’m not sure if that is the same kind used traditionally or in restaurants (as compared to “white” teff flour if there is such a thing). It makes the bread too dark and gritty when used alone. I’ve made some decent injera using a combination of some recipes on fooddownunder.com and some of my own ideas.

I’ve had good luck making yat’akilt (potatoes, carrots etc), and kik alicha (yellow split peas). I’ve tried making gomen, but the collard greens always end up a bit too bitter. I wish I could make shiro wat.

It’s never as good as the restaurant when I make it, but my friends say it’s pretty good for homemade Ethiopian (and not in a restaurant).