Drinks
Tej (Ethiopian Honey Wine)
The Quirky Foodster Team
Ingredients
- 500 g (1 1/2 cups) honey
- 1.5 litres (6 cups) water
- 20 g dried gesho (hops leaves/twigs) or substitute 1 tbsp hop pellets as a stand-in
- 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (optional, to assist fermentation)
Method
- Warm the water gently and dissolve the honey into it thoroughly, stirring until fully combined.
- Allow the honey-water mixture to cool to room temperature.
- Add the gesho (or hop substitute) and yeast if using, then pour into a clean fermenting jar.
- Cover loosely with a cloth or fit an airlock, and leave in a cool, dark place to ferment for 7-14 days, stirring gently every couple of days, until it develops a light fizz and a pleasantly tangy, wine-like aroma.
- Strain out the gesho and any sediment through a fine strainer.
- Transfer the strained tej into clean bottles and refrigerate; it will continue to mellow slightly over the following days.
- Serve chilled in small glasses.
Introduction: Tej is a traditional fermented honey wine, often flavoured with the bittering leaves and twigs of the gesho plant, historically reserved for nobility and now widely enjoyed at celebrations, weddings and in dedicated tej houses (tej bets) across Ethiopia.
Cultural Background: Tej is a traditional fermented honey wine, often flavoured with the bittering leaves and twigs of the gesho plant, historically reserved for nobility and now widely enjoyed at celebrations, weddings and in dedicated tej houses (tej bets) across Ethiopia.
Tips: A longer fermentation produces a drier, more wine-like tej, while a shorter one keeps it sweeter. Always use very clean equipment to avoid unwanted bacterial contamination during fermentation.
Variations: Some households add a few raisins during fermentation for extra complexity. A quicker, less alcoholic version can be enjoyed after only a few days, closer to a honey soda.
Storage: Refrigerate in sealed bottles for up to 1 month; flavour continues to develop slowly over time.
Reheating: Served chilled; no reheating required.
FAQs:
Q: What is gesho?
A: Gesho is a plant native to Ethiopia whose leaves and twigs are dried and used to add bitterness and aid fermentation in Tej, similar to the role of hops in beer.
Q: Is Tej very alcoholic?
A: Its alcohol content varies with fermentation time, generally ranging from a mild, low-alcohol drink to a stronger wine-like strength with longer fermentation.
Please log in to leave a comment.