Centuries of fasting traditions made Eritrean and Ethiopian cooking one of the world’s great plant-based cuisines. Here are the vegan dishes to know.
Ask a vegan in Manchester where to eat and you will often hear the same answer: try Eritrean or Ethiopian food. It is one of the very few cuisines where the plant-based dishes are not substitutes or afterthoughts, but centuries-old classics in their own right. Here is why – and what to order.
Why so much of the cuisine is vegan
The Orthodox Tewahedo churches of Eritrea and Ethiopia observe a large number of fasting days through the year, including Wednesdays and Fridays and longer seasons such as the fast before Easter. On fasting days, observers avoid meat, dairy and eggs. Over generations, cooks developed a remarkable repertoire of dishes built on lentils, split peas, chickpeas, greens and vegetables – slow-cooked with onion, garlic, ginger and spice until they are every bit as rich as the meat stews.
The result is a table that is naturally plant-based. Many of these dishes are cooked with oil rather than butter, and are shared on injera, the spongy sourdough flatbread that serves as plate and cutlery.
The vegan dishes to know
- Shero – a smooth, deeply savoury stew of spiced ground chickpeas, cooked in oil. Comfort food at its best.
- Timtimo – red lentils cooked with olive oil and traditional Eritrean seasoning. Simple, satisfying, soulful.
- Ater – yellow split peas with turmeric and olive oil; mild, golden and gentle.
- Hamli – spinach cooked with olive oil, garlic and chilli. Light and fresh.
- Alecha – a mild, turmeric-tinged stew of carrots, green beans and cabbage.
Order a beyaynetu
The best way to try everything is a beyaynetu – a mixed platter that means, roughly, “a bit of everything”. Our Bebeynetu Special Vegan is a chef-selected spread of vegan dishes on fresh injera (£19.50 for one, or £38 for two), and the Bebeynetu Vegan Selection brings together the chef’s choice of vegetarian and vegan dishes.
Starters and sides
- Vegetarian Sambosa – crisp pastry filled with spiced lentils and vegetables.
- Mixed Rolls – soft injera rolled around spiced lentils and spinach.
- Hummus and a fresh Salata of greens, onion, tomato, olive oil and lemon.
- Kategna – crispy injera with spices, served with seasoned olive oil or ghee. Ask for the olive oil version for a vegan table.
Is injera vegan?
Yes. Injera is made from a fermented batter of grain and water. Ours is made from a blend of teff and rice flour, naturally fermented and 100% plant-based. Read more in What is injera?
Eating out vegan with friends who are not
Because every meal is shared, Eritrean and Ethiopian food is ideal for mixed groups. A Mosob platter brings meat and vegan dishes together on one injera, and vegan sides can be added to any table. Just let us know about dietary needs and allergies when you book, and we will guide you through the menu.
We were proud to be named one of the best vegan restaurants, bars and cafés in Greater Manchester by the Manchester Evening News. See all our plant-based dishes on the plant-based menu.
