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How to eat injera by hand - a first-timer's guide

Eating together with your hands is part of the Ethiopian experience, but it is not self-explanatory. Here is how it works, step by step.

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What arrives at the table

In a traditional Ethiopian meal, no individual plate arrives for each guest. Instead a large shared platter comes out: the injera is spread across it, and the different stews are placed on top in separate mounds, each with its own color and flavor.

Alongside the platter there are usually additional rolled injeras. Those are the tools - you tear from them the pieces you eat with.

How it actually works

Tear a small piece from the rolled injera with one hand - traditionally the right. Use that piece to pinch or gather a little of one of the stews, and eat the whole thing together. No knife and fork needed, and the injera is both the utensil and part of the dish.

There is no fixed order. Move between stews, combine two at once, go back to whichever you liked. As the meal goes on, the injera underneath soaks up the sauces - and it gets eaten at the end too.

A few things worth knowing

If it is your first time, start with small bites and get a feel for the heat levels. Some stews are more piquant than others, and you can ask us what is spicy and what is mild before ordering.

Most importantly: eating from the same platter is not just a technique, it is the whole idea. That is why the restaurant is called Balinjera - to eat together.

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Further reading:Why injera is the heart of the meal

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How to eat injera by hand - a first-timer's guide | Balinjera