Happy New Year!... Bonne Année! - by Hénock Gugsa

Happy New Year!... Bonne Année!

Mireille Mathieu chante: "Je ne regrette rien!"




Non! Rien de rien ...
Non! Je ne regrette rien,
Ni le bien qu'on m'a fait,
Ni le mal tout ca m'est bien égal!

Non! Rien de rien ...
Non! Je ne regrette rien...
C'est payé, balayé, oublié
Je me fous du passé!

Avec mes souvenirs,
J'ai allumé le feu,
Mes chagrins, mes plaisirs,
Je n'ai plus besoin d'eux!

Balayés les amours,
Avec leurs trémolos,
Balayés pour toujours,
Je repars a zéro ...

Non! Rien de rien ...
Non! Je ne regrette rien ...
Ni le bien, qu'on m'a fait
Ni le mal, tout ca m'est bien égal!

Non! Rien de rien ...
Non! Je ne regrette rien ...
Car ma vie, car mes joies
Aujourd'hui, ca commence avec toi!

Telba (*) is Good for You!! - by Hénock Gugsa

Telba (*) is Good for You!
-----
Hénock Gugsa
Telba is the Ethiopian name for what is otherwise known as flax seed. It is a very common staple. Oddly enough, it is even deemed a poor man's staple by some who don't really appreciate or know its goodness. The beauty of telba is in its easy availability and the simplicity of preparing a quick meal.

Two Ethiopian recipes are presented below ...

1 -Telba Fitfit (Flax Water mixed with bits of Injera)
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- The first step is to take a cup of flaxseed and pour it into a frying pan, preferrably a cast iron one.

- Then heat the seeds till they are nice and brown, be careful not to overcook the seeds. Low heat is recommended.

- After that let them cool down a bit, and grind them in a clean coffee grinder. Presto, you now have flax in powder form.

- To the flax powder, add some salt and mix it in. You may also add a small measure of cinnamon powder and some berbere, if you wish.

- Then add water, and as you stir up this concoction, throw in some broken bits of injera in there.

- It is all now ready to serve; and bon appetit to all!

- Caution: This food can act as a mild laxative!


2 - Telba (flax) Paste or Sauce
----------------------

- Take a cup of flax powder, add in a pinch of salt and some water. Stir continuously.

- The flax would start to thicken and form a paste as you keep stirring. The more you stir, the thicker it will get.

- You can always control the thickness by adding in more water, or by slowing down the stirring.

- When you have the right thickness (not gooey, and not watery), then it is ready to eat with injera or toasted bread.
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(*) Telba is the Ethiopian name for flax seeds.