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Telba (roasted flaxseed drink)
Telba: toasted ground flaxseed shaken with water and sweetened, a Gojjam fasting drink
Flax grows across the highlands of Gojjam, and on Wednesdays, Fridays and through Lent its toasted seeds become telba, a creamy, nutty drink that fills you up when animal food is off the menu. The seeds are dry-roasted until they pop, ground fine, then whisked with water and strained, giving a pale brown drink with a faint toasted-sesame flavour and a slightly silky body. It is also taken as a gentle remedy for an upset stomach. Families often sweeten it with honey; sugar keeps it fully vegan. Don't roast the flaxseed too far: over-roasted seeds turn the drink bitter. Chef's tip: grind only what you need that day, because ground flax goes stale and bitter within days; whole roasted seeds keep for weeks in a jar.
- Total time
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 2 ⅛ oz brown flaxseedwhole linseed
- 4 ¼ cups cold water
- 2 tbsp sugaror to taste
- 1 pinch salt (optional)
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 2 ⅛ oz brown flaxseed in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat and toast for 5–8 minutes, shaking the pan, until the seeds pop, darken slightly and smell nutty. Take them off before they smell burnt; scorched flax makes the drink bitter.
7 minStep 2: Cool for 5 minutes, then grind to a fine powder in a spice grinder.
5 minStep 3: Whisk the powder into 250 ml of 4 ¼ cups cold water to make a smooth paste, then whisk in the rest of the water.
Step 4: Leave for 5 minutes, then pour through a fine sieve lined with muslin, pressing gently. Discard the husks.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 105 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 9 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does telba (roasted flaxseed drink) take?
- About 18 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 8 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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