Ethiopian cuisine is influenced by the cuisines of its various ethnic cultures and that of the country’s neighbors. The most common meal is the wat served with injera. The wat is a thick, spicy stew prepared with vegetables or meat. The Doro wat is another variant of the wat made with chicken and served with hard-boiled eggs. The injera is a large sourdough flatbread that is made out of fermented teff flour. Pieces of the injera are held in the right hand to scoop up the side dishes and entrees. Pork and seafood (with the exception of fish) are usually left out of Ethiopian cuisine due to the religious beliefs prevalent in the country. Several days of fasting are observed by the Orthodox Ethiopians Christians. During such days, meat and dairy are left out of food. The berbere, a spicy mix of powdered chili pepper and other spices, is often added to the Ethiopian dishes. The niter kibbeh, a type of clarified butter, is also commonly used. A popular Ethiopian breakfast dish is the Kinche which is made from cracked wheat, barley, oats, or a mixture of these ingredients that are boiled in water or milk. Spiced butter is added to the dish for flavoring. Atmet, an oat and barley-flour based drink with sugar, water, and clarified butter is a popular non-alcoholic beverage consumed in Ethiopia. Coffee and tea are also consumed widely. Some of the alcoholic drinks include tella (a homebrewed beer) and tej (a honey wine).
