YESIMIR MEREKHE – BROWN LENTIL STEW

Traditional Ethiopian Cuisine consists of several types of dishes as well as several different educational sections which help to promote Ethiopia's cultural identity whilst also making the recipes accessible for people around the world.  Yemisir Merekhe is a great representation of Ethiopian cuisine because it reflects core concepts in Ethiopian cooking. First, the ingredients are kept as natural as possible, by minimalizing processed ingredients and exemplifying what Campbell describes as “the reverence for all things natural.” Secondly, the dish is an accurate representation of an Ethiopian meal because it is meat-less. Ethiopian culture is heavily influenced by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church which advocates an animal-free diet every Wednesday and Friday following a fast that ends at 3 p.m. The entire month leading up to their Easter they also do not eat meat. Yesimir Merekhe is an excellent representation of Ethiopian Cuisine because it is aligned with their restricted dietary selections.