Kitfo

Kitfo is an Ethiopian dish that originated among the Gurage people, made of minced raw beef marinated in mitmita, a chili-based spice powder, and niter kibbeh, a clarified butter infused with herbs and spices; a version cooked lightly rare rather than served raw is called kitfo leb leb. The name comes from an Ethio-Semitic root meaning to chop finely or mince. It is typically served alongside a mild cottage-style cheese called ayibe or cooked greens called gomen, and while most of Ethiopia eats it with the fermented flatbread injera, the Gurage themselves traditionally serve it with kocho, a flatbread made from the ensete, or false banana, plant. Kitfo is not considered an everyday delicacy but is held in high regard and served at special occasions, including the Meskel holiday celebrating the finding of the True Cross, observed on September 27.