False Banana in Ethiopia!

False banana has become really important for Ethiopian. Since its discovery in 1939, False Banana has continued to contribute towards food security in Ethiopia. It is a crop that farmers do not worry about and it is a source of nutritional value for all consumers. The bulk of this plant is composed of air, then water and then fiber. The cells in the leaves hold an incredible amount of water for years. Therefore, even if Ethiopia faces a drought, this incredible plant can survive up to seven years without rain. It is pulped and then fermented for a few months before producing Kocho, which is a solid staple that is eaten with bread, milk, cheese, cabbage, meat or coffee. Its diversity in usage makes it an excellent crop to bring food security to Ethiopia. It provides more amount of foodstuff per unit area than most cereals. It is estimated that 40 to 60 of false bananas plants occupying 250-375 sq. meters can provide enough food for a family of 5 to 6 people. Depending on the social status you will put inside meat or fish or just vegetables... We tried false banana right after she cooked for the whole family. The family gathered all together around the fire, and they put spinach into this kind of tortilla or bread called Omolcho. They prepared coffee, Ethiopian style (roasted green coffee super dark and grounded with a long stick). We didn't try the coffee, but we ate the "tortilla false banana" and it was pretty delicious. This is a ritual in all the Ethiopian houses, eating all the sub products they get from this fermented plant. I hope you can enjoy this video as much as We enjoyed being there. Peace! María Esther and Dylan