Episode 12 - The Poor Man and the Rich Man: A Tale From Ethiopia About Greed, Cleverness, and Reconciliation

Fireside Folklore with Hades

Greetings, mortal listeners and ethereal eavesdroppers! It's your host, Hades, back with another episode of "Fireside Folklore." As the Sovereign of the Underworld, I'm usually busy managing souls and keeping the dead in line, but today, I've swapped my scepter for a microphone to bring you more tales from our mythical tapestry.
In This Episode:
Persephone's Passion for Ethiopian Beats: My radiant partner, Persephone, shares her love for the vibrant sounds of Ethiopia. She's promised to play some tunes for me later, and I'm curious if it can rival the haunting melodies of the Underworld.
Hermes' Ethiopian Encyclopedia: Our fleet-footed nephew, Hermes, dazzles us with fascinating facts about Ethiopia. From ancient alphabets to soulful strings, he's done his homework, proving he's more than just a divine delivery boy.
The Tale of Amanuel and Abay: A story of friendship, betrayal, and peas. Yes, you read that right. Peas! Dionysus and Hephaestus join us as the protagonists of this Ethiopian folktale. Who knew that legumes could lead to such drama?
Persephone's Culinary Corner: My dearest unveils a recipe for misir wot, an Ethiopian lentil stew. She insists it's both healthy and delicious. I'm skeptical but willing to try anything that doesn't taste like pomegranate for a change.
Zeus Crashes the Party: As usual, my brother Zeus drops in uninvited, but at least he brings laughter (and sponsorship deals). His ego might be as large as Mount Olympus, but his chuckles are quite infectious.
Lightning Round with Zeus: Test your knowledge of today’s episode and win a prize that's better than a boat ride on the Styx.
Closing Thoughts:
Thank you for joining us on this journey to the heart of Ethiopia. Next time, we'll be exploring the land of the long white cloud, New Zealand, to discover why the Kiwi bird has no wings. Until then, keep the fires of folklore burning in your heart, and remember: in the Underworld, every story has a ghost of a chance to be heard.
Farewell for now,
Hades
Here is the recipe for the week.
We'll be making misir wot. This is an Ethiopian lentil stew that's entirely gluten-free. Most importantly though, it's super yummy and filled with spices! Here is what you will need:

2 cups red lentils, rinsed and drained

4 cups vegetable broth

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons niter kibbeh (spiced clarified butter essential to Ethiopian cooking, though you can use regular clarified butter or ghee if you can't find it)

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1-2 tablespoons berbere spice blend (available at specialty or Ethiopian markets)

Salt to taste

Here's what you must do. Be sure to have an adult help you with these steps!

1. Melt 3 tablespoons of the niter kibbeh in a medium stock pot. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

2. Add the garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste and 1 tablespoon of the berbere and cook for 5-7 minutes. Reduce the heat if needed to prevent burning.

Add the lentils and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30-40 minutes or until the lentils are soft and the sauce has thickened.

3. Add the remaining tablespoon of niter kibbeh and berbere and stir to combine. Cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.

4. Season with salt to taste.

5. Misir wot is typically served with injera, a fermented flatbread that’s also used as an eating instrument to scoop up the lentils. Enjoy your meal!

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