In most countries of the world, raw meat is not eaten, as this is primarily associated with a high risk of picking up worms and dangerous bacteria. But in Ethiopia, raw meat is considered a popular delicacy.
Walking along the streets of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, it will not be uncommon to see groups of people gathered at tables in front of cafes and restaurants and eating pieces of completely raw beef or goat meat with appetite.
Especially such dishes are popular on big holidays and at weddings, but many eat raw meat almost every day, much like we eat sausage or ham.
If you ask such an eater, he will gladly tell you that raw meat is very good for the heart and that it also energizes and "renews the body." As for the risks of catching long tapeworms, simonella or E. coli through raw meat, they … they simply ignore them.
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Dr. Mesafint Ababa, who heads a private clinic in Addis Ababa, told Turkish news agency Anadolu that most raw meat aficionados tend to overestimate the nutritional benefits of meat, ignoring or completely denying the risks associated with their eating habits.
Many patients with health problems caused by consuming raw meat regularly come to his clinic complaining of the same symptoms.
No one knows exactly how eating raw meat became so popular in this African country. The most common version goes back to one of the many wars between the Christian people of Gurage and Muslims, which happened many centuries ago.
Gurage warriors, hiding in the mountains, often revealed to the enemy the location of their refuge because of cooking meat on a fire. Smoke and the smell of grilled meat gave them away. Realizing this, the gurage began to eat the meat raw.
However, these wars ended long ago, but the tradition of eating raw meat turned out to be very stable. It has become a kind of one of the national dishes and is consumed by all ethnic groups living in the country.
The most popular type of raw meat dish is called tere siga, which literally translates to raw meat. For him, the meat is cut into long strips and dipped in various sauces and spices. Also popular is the kifto dish, where finely chopped beef is mixed with spicy Ethiopian butter and served with cheese.