This is a complete cheat. I’m not even attempting to make real cheese, just tweak American cottage cheese to a slightly different flavor profile. But it works reasonably well on [doro wat]() and [awaze tibs]() or just alongside them on the [injera]().

Another simple side dish, this one collard greens flavored with Ethiopian spices.

There’s nothing overtly Ethiopian about this salad, but it is a common accompaniment to Ethiopian meals and has a bright, fresh flavor that balances the rich, spicy dishes. Put a pile of it on the [injera]() alongside your other dishes.

A simpler, vegetarian option to go with your [injera](), or as part of a larger Ethiopian meal.

This dish typically uses beef tenderloin, but I use the cheapest cut I can find and cook it until tender. The key to the flavor is the awaze sauce, which is a spicy blend of berbere, garlic, ginger, and other spices. Serve it with [injera]() and [cabbage and carrots]() for a complete meal.

This recipe traditionally uses a whole, cut-up chicken, but I use a mix of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and breasts. I cook the whole thing in an Instant Pot for convenience, but it can also be done in a slow cooker, after the onions are caramelized. Serve it with [injera]() and [cabbage and carrots]() for a complete meal.

Another vegetarian Ethiopian stew.

This is a simple side dish of cabbage and carrots, flavored with Ethiopian spices.

One of my last home cooking challenges is to master Ethiopian food. It has been nearly 10 years since I lived in the Phoenix area where I could get it, and I miss it terribly. So, this is the first of a number of recipes in that vein. Like most, it will not even attempt to be authentic, just to capture what I liked most about what I used to eat. This is a simple flatbread made with teff flour, which gives it a distinctive flavor and texture. It is traditionally fermented for 5 days or more, but this variation shortens the process to a few minutes.

Berbere is a key ingredient in many Ethiopian dishes, including [tikil gomen](), [doro wat](), and [awaze tibs](). It is a spicy blend of chili peppers and other spices. This homemade version (taken wholesale from [Chef John’s recipe](https://foodwishes.blogspot.com/2016/10/how-to-make-berbere-spice-and-what-to.html)) is significantly cheaper than mixes sold online and can be stored in an airtight container for months. I buy a 12 ounce bag of dried New Mexico chiles for $6.48 from Walmart, grind them in my spice grinder, and make a double batch of this recipe (about 2 cups of berbere). I get most of the other spices from the bulk spice section of WinCo.

This cucumber salad is more Asian-ish vs. authentic, but it’s a great way to get some more veg on my plate, and it pairs well with most any thing I’m eating.

When I break down leg quarters or a whole chicken, I have drumsticks left over and nothing to do with them. Everybody likes fried chicken, but I’m not going to put in that kind of work, especially factoring in the cleanup. This gives me something delicious with much less effort, and it’s one of the cheapest dinners I can make.

I like to make Caesar Salad fairly regularly, but I don’t like buying bottles of dressing that languish forever in my refrigerator door, since I’m the only one who eats it. This recipe uses ingredients I tend to keep on hand and can be made in small batches. I can make it whenever I want without worrying about the dressing going bad and the croutons getting rancid. It’s not authentic; it’s how _I_ like it!

This is a higher hydration pizza dough, similar to my [Lazy Man Pizza Crust](), but with a more open crumb and lighter texture. It’s more trouble to work with, though; the dough is very sticky and requires practice to stretch. This recipe is enough for two personal or one smallish pizza.

More somewhat Americanized Korean food that I enjoy.

Similar to the [no-bake chocolate eclair cake](), this is a great summer dessert when you don't want to turn on the oven. It does use a lot of cream cheese and whipped topping, though.

This is an Americanized take on kimchi fried rice. It pairs well with potstickers.

My number one ask for bread is texture. I want a crispy crust and a chewy, open crumb. This recipe delivers both, and requires no kneading, which means I might actually make it on a regular basis.

This is one of the last Indian dishes I haven’t regularly made at home, though it’s my go-to order at the local Indian restaurant. Time to master it! Like [Butter Chicken](), it pairs best with [Jeera Rice]() and/or naan.

Somehow I’ve never recorded this, even though it’s on the monthly rotation. Since I have to keep teaching it to new family members, here it is.