Yeshimbra Assa -- Ethiopian Chickpea "fish" And Sauce

Total Time: 1 hr Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 30 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 cups chickpea flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 3/4-1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons finely grated onions
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
• vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 cups finely chopped onions
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup berbere
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

• 1 sift the flour, 2 teaspoons of salt and the pepper into a deep bowl.
• 2 make a well in the centre and combine 3/4 cup water, the onions and garlic in the well.
• 3 gradually stir the dry ingredients into the water and onions and, when blended, beat vigorously with a spoon or knead with your hands until the dough is smooth and can be gathered into a ball.
• 4 if the dough crumbles, add up to 1/4 cup water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
• 5 on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/4 inch thick.
• 6 with a small sharp knife, cut the dough into fish shapes about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. if you like, you can use the point of the knife to decorate the top of each "fish" with scales and fins.
• 7 pour oil into a deep fryer or a large, heavy saucepan to a depth of 2-3 inches.
• 8 heat until it reaches 350 f and fry the "fish" for 3-4 minutes, turning them frequently until they puff slightly and are golden brown.
• 9 as they brown, transfer them to paper towels to drain.
• 10 once you are done the fish you can make the sauce.
• 11 in a heavy 10-12 inch wide pan (it's best if it's non-stick), cook the chopped onions for 5-6 minutes until they are soft and dry.
• 12 pour in the 1/4 cup oil and when it's hot add the berbere and garlic and stir for a minute.
• 13 pour in the 1 1/2 cups water and cook until the sauce is slightly thickened.
• 14 season with salt and then place the "fish" in the skillet and baste them with the sauce.
• 15 lower the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.
• 16 to serve, arrange the "fish" on a platter and pour the sauce over them.