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Delicious Foods For Ethiopians' January Christmas Celebrations

Delicious Foods For Ethiopians' January Christmas Celebrations
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Religion Reporter, HuffPost

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**FOR USE WITH AP LIFESTYLES** Doro Wat Chicken is seen in this Sunday, May 11, 2008 photo. Doro Wat Chicken, an Ethiopian dish, is a good opportunity to get out of the spice rut you may be in. Cooking with turmeric, cardamom and fenugreek, among other spices, will give the evening dinner a new and adventurous flavor. Serve with flatbread and plain yogurt. (AP Photo/Larry Crowe)

An Ethiopian kitchen can be a place of both succulence and self-denial.

In the kitchen of Abyssinia, a popular Ethiopian eatery in Nairobi, the owner, Abebe, demonstrates how his cook prepares the dish called kitfo. It's raw minced beef whipped together with cardamom and chili and a spicy butter, with a texture and taste closer to delicate cheese than to steak tartar.

Kitfo is actually Abebe's favorite food, but it's one he hasn't been allowed to eat for the past month. The Ethiopian Orthodox Church, one of the world's oldest, observes Christmas on Jan. 7, following a calendar similar to the Coptic Church. The 40 days prior to Christmas (including Dec. 25) are observed with a vegan fast.

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Before You Go

Orthodox Christmas and Epiphany
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People dressed as the Three Kings walk during a traditional epiphany march in the old district of Vilnius, Lithuania, on January 6, 2013. AFP PHOTO / PETRAS MALUKAS (Photo credit should read PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
LITHUANIA-RELIGION-TRADITION-EPIPHANY(02 of26)
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People dressed as angels and the Three Kings walk during a traditional epiphany march in the old district of Vilnius, Lithuania, on January 6, 2013. AFP PHOTO / PETRAS MALUKAS (Photo credit should read PETRAS MALUKAS/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty Images)
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A boy lights a candle during a Christmas service in the Christian Orthodox church, St. Atanasij the Great, in the southeastern Macedonian town of Bogdanci, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas Day on Jan. 7 because they follow the Julian calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) (credit:AP)
Georgia Orthodox Christmas(04 of26)
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Georgia Orthodox Christmas(05 of26)
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Bosnia Orthodox Christmas(06 of26)
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Georgians take a part in a religious procession to mark the Orthodox Christmas in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov) (credit:AP)
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Bosnian Serb children break the traditional Christmas bread to mark Orthodox Christmas Day festivities, in front Orthodox Church in Banja Luka, 350 kms north west of Sarajevo, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 as they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Radivoje Pavicic) (credit:AP)
Georgia Orthodox Christmas(10 of26)
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Georgians take part in a religious procession to mark the Orthodox Christmas in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov) (credit:AP)
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Georgians take a part in a religious procession to mark the Orthodox Christmas, in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov) (credit:AP)
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Georgians take a part in a religious procession to mark the Orthodox Christmas, in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov) (credit:AP)
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Georgians with National flags take part in a religious procession to mark the Orthodox Christmas, in Tbilisi, Georgia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Christmas falls on Jan. 7 for Orthodox Christians that use the old Julian calendar instead of the 16th-century Gregorian calendar adopted by Catholics and Protestants and commonly used in secular life around the world. (AP Photo/Shakh Aivazov) (credit:AP)
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A Bosnian Orthodox Serb woman, attends Christmas Mass, at the Orthodox Church in Tuzla, 70 kms north of Sarajevo, early morning, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 as they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:AP)
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Bosnian Orthodox Serbs, attend Christmas Mass in Orthodox Church in Tuzla, 70 kms north of Sarajevo, early morning, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 as they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Amel Emric) (credit:AP)
Georgia Orthodox Christmas(17 of26)
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A boy eats piece of prosphora, or offering of bread, given to him by a priest during a Christmas service in the Christian Orthodox church, St. Atanasij the Great, in the southeastern Macedonia's town of Bogdanci, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 because they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) (credit:AP)
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A believer kisses a crucifix and receives a piece of the prosphora or offering of bread from the priest, during a Christmas service in the Christian Orthodox church, St. Atanasij the Great in the southeastern Macedonia's town of Bogdanci, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 as they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) (credit:AP)
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An elderly woman attends a Christmas service in the Christian Orthodox church St. Atanasij the Great, in the southeastern Macedonia's town of Bogdanci, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 as they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) (credit:AP)
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A woman lights candles, during a Christmas service in the Christian Orthodox church, St. Atanasij the Great, in the southeastern Macedonia's town of Bogdanci, on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 because they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) (credit:AP)
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An elderly woman looks at the illuminated nativity scene, set in St. Atanasij the Great Christian Orthodox church, in the southeastern Macedonia's town of Bogdanci, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas day on January 7 because they follow the Julian Calendar, which was replaced in Western Europe by the Gregorian calendar 500 years ago. (AP Photo/Boris Grdanoski) (credit:AP)
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A Christian Serb Orthodox believer breaking traditional Christmas bread to mark the Orthodox Christmas Day festivities, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Children traditionally scramble for a piece of the bread, searching for a gold coin, hidden inside. The Serbs celebrate Christmas according to Julian Calendar, on January 7. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (credit:AP)
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Belgrade bakers carry the traditional Christmas bread, to mark the Orthodox Christmas Day festivities, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Children traditionally scramble for a piece of the bread, searching for a gold coin, hidden inside. The Serbs celebrate Christmas according to Julian Calendar, on January 7. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (credit:AP)
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Christian Serb Orthodox believers breaking traditional Christmas bread to mark the Orthodox Christmas Day festivities, in Belgrade, Serbia, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Children traditionally scramble for a piece of the bread, searching for a gold coin, hidden inside. The Serbs celebrate Christmas according to Julian Calendar, on January 7. (AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic) (credit:AP)
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Greek Archbishop Alexious, leads prayers during Christmas celebrations at a Greek Orthodox church in Gaza City, Monday, Jan. 7, 2013. Several Orthodox communities celebrate Christmas according to the Julian calendar. (AP Photo/Adel Hana) (credit:AP)
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