Day 102 Ethiopia : Gorgora

Saturday, 25 July 2009 - 11 Ethiopia

I'm in my element.  Yesterday Tim & Kim arranged for a kid to be slaughtered for us.  That's a baby goat just in case you think anything else!!  Today the kid was delivered.  Voubou, one of Tim and Kim's workers did a great job of slaughtering it quickly and humanely.  I caused a great flutter of whispering and nudging when I watched the slaughter and during it started pointing out all the bits and pieces normally thrown away or given to the dogs, that I wanted including the small intestines and the caul.

Once the kid was cleaned we hung it up in the rafters of the restaurant (not finished yet!) and covered it with a mosquito net to let it rest for a day.  But not before I had taken the belly meat for our supper that night - skilpad (tortoise); a minced mixture of belly meat, liver, heart, spices and breadcrumbs all wrapped in the caul, fried and poached and then served with mash, greens and gravy.  You just have to try it to believe how good it is.

In the meantime, the small intestines were cleaned several times and left to soak in a strong solution of salt water - ready for boerewors (South African sausage and the best in the whole world) tomorrow.

#1 gill on 8.08.2009 at 7:34 AM

Hi Jan

I looooorve skilpatjies. Eben introduced them to me in Durban and we braaied them - what a mouthwatering experience. I feel the texture in my mouth as I type. hahaha.

Gill

#2 brenda on 8.15.2009 at 4:24 PM

I have eaten many strange and funny things but have never tried skilpad. What does it taste like? We are going out tonight to a wine and snacks evening and we have to take a plate of eats. So I have done some boerewors, stuffed eggs and corn bread. So our plate will make for some interesting conversation.