This Eritrean appetizer was obviously meant to be shared, since there was literally a tower of okra, so for this okra lover it was an entire meal. The whole okra were small, tender, and had some sweetness to them. They were lightly encrusted with a teff flour and egg mixture and either deep fried or baked; either way, they weren't greasy. (Teff is a nutritious grass seed that is imported from Ethiopia.) The teff coating was very crunchy and the okra inside still had some of that sliminess that I love. The plate was garnished with roasted tomato pieces, caramelized onion pieces, and fermented hot sauce; this is where the Abyssinian flavor came through. There was also a sprinkling of salty and spicy awaze powder, another distinct Abyssinian flavor. I've had cornmeal encrusted okra in Atlanta, Georgia, but they were chopped into smaller pieces and, though crunchy, had lost most of their slime. I really enjoyed them as a beer snack, but for an okra lover they're better whole.
Location: Muzita Bistro, 4651 Park Boulevard, San Diego, California. Date: August 9, 2019.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorChef Roland has been a legal resident of seven countries and has travelled in over thirty, documenting food along the way. He currently resides in the desert in Southern California. Categories
All
|