Eritrean cuisine

Eritrean cuisineis based onEritrea's native culinary traditions, but also arises from social interchanges with other regions. The local cuisine shares very strong similarities with thecuisineof neighboringEthiopiawith several dishes being cultural to both nations as a result of the two nationshaving been unified for hundreds of years. It also has influences fromItaliancuisine due to theItalian colonization of the nation, and minor influences from othercuisinesin the region.
Eritrean cuisine shares similarities with surrounding countries' cuisines; however, the cuisine has its unique characteristics.
The main traditional food in Eritrean cuisine istsebhi(stew), served withinjera(flatbread made fromteff,wheat, orsorghumandhilbet(paste made fromlegumes; mainlylentilandfaba beans). 
A typical traditional Eritrean dish consists ofinjeraaccompanied by a spicy stew, which frequently includes beef, goat, lamb or fish.
Overall, Eritrean cuisine strongly resembles that of neighboringEthiopia,although Eritrean cooking tends to feature moreseafoodthan Ethiopian cuisine on account of its coastal location.
Additionally, owing to its colonial history, cuisine in Eritrea features moreItalianinfluences than are present in Ethiopian cooking, including morepastaspecials and greater use ofcurrypowders andcumin.People in Eritrea likewise tend to drink coffee.Christian Eritreansalso drinksowa(a bitter fermented barley) andmies(a fermented honey beverage),whileMuslim Eritreansabstain from drinking alcohol.
When eatinginjeradiners generally share food from a large tray placed in the centre of a low dining table. Numerous pieces ofinjeraare layered on this tray and topped with various spicy stews. Diners break into the section ofinjerain front of them, tearing off pieces and dipping them into the stews.
The stews that accompanyinjeraare usually made from beef, chicken, lamb, goat, mutton, or vegetables. Most Eritreans, with the exception of theSaho, like their food spicy and hot.Berbere, a mixture that consists of a variety of common and unusual herbs and spices, accompanies almost all dishes. Stews includezigni, made with beef;dorho tsebhi, made with chicken;alicha, a vegetable dish made withoutberbere; andshiro, a purée of variouslegumes.
When makingga'at, a ladle is used to make an indentation in the dough, which is then filled with a mixture ofberbereand melted butter,  and surrounded by milk oryogurt. When dining, a small piece ofga'atis dipped into theberbereand the butter sauce, and then into the milk or yogurt.
Influenced by its past as anItalian colony, Eritrean cuisine also features unique interpretations of classic Italian dishes.Among these specialties are pasta sauces spiced withberbere.
Most dishes common to Eritrea are either meat-based or vegetable-based stews that are served over the spongy, fermented breadinjera.
Suwais the name for the home-brewedbeercommon in Eritrea. It is made from roasted corn, barley, and other grain and is flavored withgesho, a type of buckthorn leaf. The beverage is often made for celebrations; a sweethoney wine(calledmies) is also commonly served. Thecoffee ceremonyis one of the most important and recognizable parts ofEritreancultures. Coffee is offered when visiting friends, during festivities, or as a daily staple of life. If coffee is politely declined, thentea(shahee) will most likely be served.
Even though Eritrea has a tradition of coffee drinking for centuries,Italian-style coffee likeespressoandcappuccinoare extremely common in Eritrea, served in practically every bar and coffee shop in the capitalAsmara.
The biggest brewery in the country isAsmara Brewery, built 1939 under the name Melotti. The brewery today produces a range of beverages. A popular beverage that is common during festivities is Eritrean-styleSambuca; in Tigrinya it is translated toareki.