How to Make Genfo (Traditional Ethiopian Black Barley Porridge)
Genfo is a slightly sticky and firm porridge typically made from a blend of roasted barley flour or teff flour. Traditionally, it is served with nitter qibbeh (Ethiopian spiced/clarified butter), berbere (red pepper spice blend - essential to Ethiopian cooking) and mitmita (chili pepper blend).
In my previous post - How to make vegan Ethiopian clarified butter at home! - I shared a recipe on how I make a plant-based Ethiopian spiced butter. I highly recommend making/using nitter qibbeh for this recipe. If you really can't, a good quality olive oil will do the trick. However, keep in mind that it won't taste the same!
Some people like to add a sweetener such as honey, others eat it with yoghurt. Genfo is a favourite of Ethiopian long-distance runners. It is truly a breakfast for champs!
Prep time: 5mins
Cooking time: 30mins
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup of roasted barley (genfo) flour (you can also use teff flour)
- 2 cups of hot water + more for cooking
- 1 tablespoon Amaarech berbere blend
- 1/2 teaspoon Amaarech mitmita blend
- 3-4 tablespoons nitter qibbeh (check my previous blog post on How to make vegan Ethiopian clarified butter at home! for a step-by-step guide on how to make it)
- Salt to taste
- Optional - plain yogurt and a sweetener of your choice
Direction
- If you don't have access to genfo flour, start by lightly roasting the barley flour or teff flour in a pan or in the oven until slightly toasted. This takes about 10 minutes. This will significantly reduce the cooking time and also give the porridge a nutty flavour. Allow the flour to cool completely.
- Bring the water to a boil in a pot and reduce the heat immediately to medium-low. Add salt and a tablespoon of nitter qibbeh. Once that'[s dissolved, start adding the cooled flour stirring to avoid lumps until it is one thick dry mixture.
- Shape the porridge into a ball in the middle of the pot, add a splash of hot water around it, put the lid on, and cook on low heat for about 5 mins.
- Take the pot off heat, mix and fold for about 5 mins, turning the genfo "inside out." Shape into a ball again, add another splash of hot water around the porridge, and cook for 5 mins. Repeat this step one more time.
- Remove from heat, mould into the shape of a volcano, and gouge a hole in the middle.
- Add nitter qibbeh, berbere, mitmita into the hole and mix well.
- Eat it by the spoonful, dipping each scoop in the liquid centre.
Notes
- Add more berbere and mitmita if you like it spicy.
- Add a ring of yogurt or a sweetener of your choice.