Ethiopian sambusa... not exactly

Sambusas are Ethiopian-style turnovers, similar to that of the oh-so-popular Indian samosas. They are typically fried and can be filled with whatever your heart desires. So of course I took it upon myself to come up with a healthier version while keeping the distinct taste of Ethiopian cuisine.

Ethiopian spiced lentil sambuas with spicy berbere drizzle

Fresh romaine lettuce, Roma tomato wedges and red onions in lime juice and extra-virgin olive oil

In each brick dough "turnover" was a stew of extra-virgin olive oil, ginger, garlic, yellow onions, a spice blend which included cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, allspice, and cardamom, French green and red lentils, and vegetable stock. The brick dough wedges were baked and then drizzled with a very spicy berbere sauce made of toasted spices (cumin seeds, coriander seeds, cloves, cardamom, and a bit of fenugreek), shallots, chili del arbols, ginger, and a touch of raw sugar all blended with the water that was used to soak the chilies. The fresh salad was there to lighten the spice load of the main event.

Ready to roll?

This past Friday, the day before the Thanksgiving holiday week, we had anticipated very slow day. Much to my surprise, the following dish was sold out by 12:15. 45 minutes into service. Wow! Here are the details on the dish:

Spiced tofu and cabbage rolls with almond cream and coconut-mint chutney

Very green rice and spinach

This is a lighter take on a spring roll. Rather than frying, I wanted to bake it. So the question of the type of wrapper was in order. Filo dough crossed my mind, but in a high volume setting, the intricate handling of the delicate pastry sheets was out of the question. So brick dough, also know as feuilles de brick, came to the rescue. The brick dough was lightly brushed with extra-virgin olive oil on the outer shell and filled with seasoned firm tofu, shredded green and purple cabbage, fresh coriander, mint, and scallions. The seasoning for the tofu consisted of dry toasted coriander, fennel, and cumin seeds which were then finely ground. A touch of turmeric was added to the spice blend. Accompanied with rolls were an almond cream (toasted almonds, Braggs liquid aminos, maple syrup, and lime juice) and coconut-mint chutney (unsweetened shredded coconut, fresh mint, agave, lime juice, and coconut water).

To make the rice green, jasmine rice was steamed with matcha green tea powder and fresh minced ginger. Then it was tossed with edamame, fresh baby spinach, and a touch of honey, and extra-virgin olive oil.

Light, flavorful, and quite delicious.