Why Ethiopian cooking suits vegans
A large part of traditional Ethiopian cooking is already built around legumes, vegetables and spices - not as a substitute for meat, but as a foundation in its own right. The result is that a vegan Ethiopian menu is not a reduced version of the regular one, it is a central part of it.
At Balinjera that shows up in practice: there are dedicated vegan platters alongside the meat dishes, and the injera itself - the base of every meal - is made from teff flour alone.
What to order
The vegan platters are built around several sides served together: there is a single-portion option with four vegan sides of your choice, and a platter for two with seven sides - a mix of legumes and cooked vegetables. The business menu also includes a vegan platter for one with seven sides and a small salad.
Alongside the platters you can add dishes like shiro, eggplant with Ethiopian tahini, or the house salad. If you want to taste widely in a single meal, the shared platter is the most efficient way to do it.
The rare part: kosher and vegan
Balinjera is a kosher meat restaurant, which means there are no dairy products on the premises at all. For vegan diners that is actually an advantage: there is no risk of mixing with dairy in the kitchen.
The combination of Ethiopian cooking, kosher certification and a wide vegan selection is not an easy one to find in Tel Aviv - certainly not within walking distance of Carmel Market.