Chechebsa, or kita firfir, is a nauseatingly filling breakfast item from Ethiopia. In one sitting, I’ve eaten six slices of a New York (pizza) pie in a sitting, obscene amounts of cheap sushi and half of a lemon- don’t be envious, even though the seat cushions were – but finishing a bowl of this, nay even 3/4 of a bowl proved insurmountable.
So, get to the point: the main ingredients are kita, a wheat bread similar to chappati that also contains the Ethiopian spice blend berbere, and niter kibbe, or clarified butter. It’s all fried, then chopped up and placed in front of unsuspecting ferenji looking to waste their vacation time writhing in agony in bed instead of touring the sites of Addis Ababa. Bonus: For all of those mysophobic readers, this is a rare dish from that part of the world that you don’t need to enjoy with your hands. You know, the bowl and spoon were washed in the local human spray, but at least your hands catch a break.
Without honey, I would’ve been in much more trouble. As a dessert in small quantities, it’s nice. Rich, but agreeable.
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It’s a dessert!
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