Tella Recipe

In Ethiopia, Tella, a traditional alcoholic beverage, is very popular. It can also include spices. It is made from a variety of grains, including barley, corn, wheat, millet, or Teff. For fermentation, shiny-leaf buckthorn leaves that have been dried and powdered are utilized.

Tella and beer are comparable; the fermenting process is the key distinction. It is made without the use of yeast. The only yeasts used to manufacture the beverage are those that are naturally found in the cereals and equipment.

How Tella is Made Traditionally

Tella is prepared in a clay pot that has been grawa-washed, rinsed, and weyra-smoked for around ten minutes. There are three stages to the preparation.

The first, referred to as Tejet, is used to make the malt (Bikil): The grains of cereal are soaked in water, allowed to germinate for at least three days, and then dried in the sun. After that, a flour is made from the Gesho shrub’s leaves and stems (Rhamnus prinoides).

Enkuro, a type of barley flour, or Kita, a type of unleavened bread that is broken into pieces and allowed to ferment for a week, are both added in the second phase (Tenses).

The final stage (Difedef) involves the addition of water and a new fermentation that lasts 12 days. Wood ash is added to the beverage to balance out its acidity.

Where to Find Tella

Tella is frequently prepared at home or offered at Tella houses (Tellabet), which are bars that only sell this beverage. However, since several industrial breweries have recently opened, Tella is no longer consumed as it formerly was informally, in social settings, or at significant events like weddings and celebrations. The traditional taverns known as tellabet are now quite uncommon in Addis Abeba.

What is the Alcohol Content of Tella?

Unfiltered Tella typically has an alcohol concentration of 2 – 4 volume percent, while filtered Tella has a 5 – 6% alcohol content.

Print