I First Met You Over Breakfast at Ma’s

Getting Acquainted with ‘Fossesse’

Here I am, somewhere near the widening part of the Great East African Rift Valley. It was my long-awaited return to one of my favorite places in the country. The first meal I had at my hotel was the anomaly on the menu. For those familiar with the hotel and resort menus across Ethiopia, the ubiquitous menu items are essentially replicas, so anything else can stick out like a sore thumb. My curiosity led me to order the local delicacy, ‘Fosese,’ and the waiter’s reaction was priceless. It is a beautiful thing when visitors take an interest in your tradition and appreciate it. I really enjoyed the meal, but I am glad he was happy too.

A Plate of Fosesse (2023)

'Fosesse' is a staple here often eaten for breakfast but enjoyed at any time of the day. It is made of cooked Collard Greens, Kidney Beans, Minced Shallots, Potatoes (in some versions), and a spicy secret sauce. Finely ground Corn flour is the star of the show that puts everything together and cooked with small lumps. It is savory, rich, hearty, starchy which makes it warming and filling. It is just what you would want to eat after a heavy exercise or before a long day. Gamo cuisine, like most in Southern Ethiopia/Eastern (non-horn) tropical Africa, has corn as its backbone. It is a staple and one of the keys to the stocky build of many people around here, I am told. There are other corn recipes in the region, such as ‘Eshkishkirosh’ and ‘Kurkufa’ (corn dumplings). The king of them all was to be prepared for me.

Mother Marta Making Breakfast (2023)

My guide, who I met a day ago, had promised me I would try his mother’s ‘Fosesse.’ I am eager to see how the home-cooked version would differ; it can only be better or at least as good. I was welcome to his lovely home on a Sunday morning with the whole family present. The vulnerability is heartwarming. I headed to the kitchen and joined our lovely host Mother Martha, and she told me I was about to have the best coffee in my life. I did not see or smell any coffee beans. She had a handful of herbs I had never seen used in cooking in Ethiopia. She threw whole sprigs of Fennel leaves, fresh Coriander seeds, and ‘Haritta’ (a very fragrant leaf I always thought was inedible) into the mortar. Mother Martha threw some garlic and ginger into the mix and pounded away with the pestle. The explosive aroma burst out right after contact. I can only imagine how astringent this mix is.

Infusing the Spices for the Coffee Leaf Brew (2023)

Wondering what this was all for? I bet this is one of the roughest coffee cups you will ever have. This spice and herb mix was the flavoring for the coffee to accompany the ‘Fosesse.’ I still could not see any coffee grounds. I learned we were using the coffee leaves, not the beans, for the recipe. This is how it is done here. Into the mortar, these go too and then boiled to let the flavors infuse the water. The last thing to do is add the strong flavoring on a strainer and pour the brewed infusion to filter out the leaves.

Filtering the Brewed Coffee (2023)

The boiling red kidney beans and potatoes in the pot were ready. This was our queue to add the chopped collard greens and let them wilt a bit. There was some freshly made ‘Datta’ that gave the dish a spicy kick. ‘Datta’ is a spicy dip made of bird’s eye chili, ginger, garlic, fennel, and basil flower. That went in along with some minced onions and then was the time for the star of the show – corn flour. The next step is the tricky part, where you have to avoid the flour coagulating too much. We gave it about five minutes, then it was ready.

Ingredients for the Spicy ‘Datta’ (2023)

We sat in the living room, and the spread was served. This is just how I wanted to spend the morning. I proceeded to eat with a spoon like last time until Mother Martha grabbed a fistful of ‘Fosesse.’ I stopped dead in my tracks and asked if that was the norm. She confirmed to me that this was how they casually ate the dish. I stopped immediately and went to wash my hands. They were in disbelief; I could sense they relaxed and felt at ease. Grabbing fistfuls of ‘Fosese’ is the better way to eat it since it allows you to get sound bite sizes and chew through each bite. ‘Fosesse’ is so warming and filling. It is starchy, rich, hearty, and savory through and through. It would be tough to have a lot without the special coffee, which was very spicy and heavy. I loved the coffee too. It is not for everyone, but I enjoyed it and thought this would also make great soup. My guy even told me this is a go-to remedy for malaria.

The Special, Spicy Coffee (2023)

See this is how food takes you where nothing else can. Despite spending hours roaming Arba Minch on this young man’s motorbike, only now did I get to really meet him and see his true side. There’s a voluntary vulnerability that we show during such times. It was a pleasure to experience a new cuisine and dish, but an even greater honor to be invited into the sanctity of a home. I was showered with hospitality and affection. I had no words to express my gratitude, as we rested a bit more to let the food digest. I later met the rest of the family, said goodbye, and thanked them for their generous hospitality.

More Fosesse (2023)