Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
VEGETARIANS & VEGANS
On Wednesday, Friday and throughout the build up to Fasika (Lent), vegetarians breathe
easy as these are the traditional fasting days, when no animal products should be eaten.
Ethiopian fasting food most commonly includes
messer
(lentil curry),
gomen
(collard
greens) and
kai ser
(beetroot).
Ful
is another saviour for vegetarians although this is nor-
mally only served at breakfast time.
Apart from fasting days, Ethiopians are rapacious carnivores and vegetables are often
conspicuous by their complete absence. If you're vegetarian or vegan, the best plan is to or-
der alternative dishes in advance. If not, some dishes such as
shiro
(chickpea purée) are
quite quickly prepared. Note that fancier hotels tend to offer fasting food seven days a
week.
If you're really concerned about the availability of vegetarian food the best bet is to
come during the 55 days preceding Fasika (
Click here
). It's also a good idea to keep a
small stack of vegetarian snacks on hand.
