There is something to say about dishes to are so simple but somehow so complex. This paradoxical statement is to show that the simple ingredients in a dish can create an experience that is has a depth of different flavors. This humble dish is called genfo or (ga’at in Tigrinya). This dish that has its origins in the East African nations of Ethiopia and Eritrea has only 4 ingredients; a mixture of barley and wheat flour, water, salt, berbere, and a spiced clarified butter called kibble. Both berbere and kibbe can be bought at any Ethiopian store. Without further adieu the recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour and 1 cup barley flour 

1 cup of water 

Salt to taste 

4 table spoons of kibbe

1 tablespoon of berbere 

Yogurt or sour cream if you desire

The Method

Sift both the whole wheat and barley flour. Once sifted put in a dry pan and roast the flour on low heat. Make sure to stir often to stop it from burning. You’ll know when it’s done when you smell a nutty scent from the flour. 

In a sauce pan, heat up one cup to 2 cups of water ( honestly I just eyeball the quantity to the amount of genfo I want).

Once it is boiling add salt to taste and a teaspoon of kibbe. 

Slowly add 1 cup of the flour mixture (or 2 cups depending on how large the portion will be. 

Start to stir the mixture to make sure there’s no lumps. When the dough starts to stick add a little more water to help make the dough cook more. The secret to genfo is to mash it against the side of the pot to really get any lumps out. 

When the genfo starts to become stiff, quickly put it in the bowl you will be serving it that has a coating of kibbe. Vigorously shake the bowl to get the genfo in a spherical shape (I sometimes cheat and use my hands).

Once the genfo has taken shape, get a spoon, and dip it in a cup of kibbe and make a deep impression in the genfo. Make sure not to make a whole in the bottom of it. Once you have your impression. Melt the kibbe and pour it into the impression. Take a tablespoon of berbere and put it in the impression and stir. Along the out side of the genfo put your yogurt or sour cream to your liking.

To make it look even prettier, sprinkle some of the kibbe berbere mixture from center along the yogurt or sour cream.

And there you have it, a nice hot bowl of genfo. Enjoy with a group of your family and friends to share, or be a glutton and have it to yourself (like me). You can eat it with a spoon, but the traditional way is with your hands. Either way make sure to dip it in the middle. Try not to lose an eye though when fighting for the center’s bottom which is a super flavorful concentration of berbere and kibbe. Enjoy!