Tekebash and Saba: Recipes from the Horn of Africa

by Saba Alemayoh

A celebration of the food of Ethiopia's northernmost state Tigray, interweaved with the compelling story of author Saba Alemayoh and her mother Tekebash Gebre, who came to Australia as refugees and have nurtured a connection to their beloved homeland through shared recipes and rituals.

From Tigray to the world, a love story through food.

This is not your regular cookbook. The recipes are a legacy of Tekebash Gebre, my extraordinary mother. Tekebash was born in Tigray, under the rule of the last Ethiopian emperor. She lived under a communist regime before fleeing to Sudan. Since then we have been on a migration journey, from Aksum to Khartoum to Melbourne and beyond. Our hearts, however, will forever be Tigrayan, and through Tekebash's simple, vibrant dishes we celebrate a connection that won't be broken. It has been my privilege to translate and record what Tekebash cooked by taste, touch and memory for several years in our Melbourne restaurant. It's our story, and it's my tribute. But it will also resonate with anyone who knows the unceasing pull of a distant homeland and the comfort of its food.

299 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 14, 2023

Reviews

[Sonia Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was instantly attracted to this book by the description of recipes from the Horn of Africa - a region which has always intrigued me. I first tasted Ethiopian food in Amsterdam in 2007 and was hooked from the first delicious mouthful of a chicken doro wat scooped up with a piece of injera. Until I read this book I was unaware of the diverse cuisine of Ethiopia or the distinct foods to be found in the Tigray region. It really has been a revelation.

The book is a mix of recipes and reminiscence which places the food in a cultural context. I have made my first injera (but the alternate version) and this is a good piece of bread that can be used to mop up sauce of any culinary tradition. The vegan scrambled eggs were something I had never tried and something I will make again.

This is a fabulous book filled with love, family connections and how we all make connections via food. I would definitely recommend.

[Katy Wheatley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not your average cookery book. Of course there are recipes, and they seem to be mighty delicious too, but the main thing here is the story of the author and her mum. Their heritage in the Tigray region of what is now controlled by Ethiopia and their flight to Somalia and then on to Australia is movingly told here. I learned a huge amount about a region and culture about which I knew very little and what little I did know was wrong. Can you say you were moved by a cookery book? I think you can.

[Annarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent book, informative and thought provoking. I learned more about the Horn of Africa. I tried once the cuisine and loved it.
This is a well written and informative book.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine