Traditional Eritrea food and drinks are part of the people’s rich cultural heritage. They have been around for centuries, but they may have made a difference over time.
During Ramadan and rental fasting seasons, there are certain traditional dishes and drinks that are commonly offered. The popular dishes served tend to be simple, but nutritious to provide fasting with ample energy.
Foods that are often served during fasting season are easy to digest. Dates are often eaten to break fasting in Ramadan. Then there are plenty of soups made with vegetables and legumes before the day’s meat-based main dish is served. Sambusa is probably the most popular food served during Ramadan. The aroma of fried snacks filled with meat and vegetables fills the air so worshippers break quickly in the evening. Apart from cooking, the sharing and community spirit reflected during Ramadan is amazing.
The preferred traditional foods offered during Lent are legumes and vegetables. Worshipers often break quickly by drinking flaxseed mixed with water. It is then followed by one or a combination of Shiro (made of ground chicks and herbs), Hirube (made of ground beans and lentils), Tim Timo (made of boiled beans and peas), one or a combination of vegetables. In the Christian segment, traditional Eritrean cuisine served during the fasting season offers healthy alternatives to meat and other animal products. They are natural products with no artificial colour or taste. Grains, vegetables and legumes are grown organically and topically.
Traditional foods are made using traditional cooking utensils. The tsar, a traditional cooking pot made on earth, is associated with the mother who uses it to cook delicious food over a hot fire. The aroma and taste of the food, made using traditional cooking utensils and methods, is unique.
Eating and drinking etiquette, like traditional foods and drinks, are also important elements of the culture that distinguishes society. For those who come to your home while you are eating, it is customary to say “nqedem belu” and invite visitors to join you. You share whatever you are eating, and this strengthens the value of giving and helps build a community. For lunch and dinner, families usually sit together around a small table and eat from the same large plates. This is called Meadi. This is a site that is important for not only eating, but for interaction. In Meadi, families share their day-to-day encounters and children learn important lessons such as table manners and other social rules. Eating at Meadi is also a sign of unity. Meadi is one of the most important traditions in Eritrea society.
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Prepared using time-honored family recipes that have been handed down over generations, traditional Eritrea foods are becoming increasingly popular, as shown by the growing list of traditional foods and drinks sold in the market and in restaurants. Similarly, non-alcoholic beverages such as Fenugreek and Flaxseed, which were traditionally made and served at home, are now available on the market.
Traditional Eritrea foods are the subject of research by nutritionists and health scientists, but the media spreads information to promote the health benefits of many traditional foods, frequently consumed by the public, and food engineering university students work for preservation studies on traditional foods and drinks, increasing interest in traditional foods. Studies on the nutritional value of homemade grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables could potentially popularize traditional foods across the country.
Traditional Eritrea food and drinks are part of the rich cultural heritage that younger generations need to preserve.
