Step by step process of preparing tella.

(Prepared by: Bruk Mesfin. Submitted to: Dr. Hanna Getachew)

Interviewer name: Bruk Mesfin

Date of interview: janury11/23
Start time: 3:00 am
End time: 5:00 am
Location: Hawassa/diaspora village

Introduction

Tella is a popular Ethiopian alcoholic drink. It has a unique taste and is brewed in traditional copper stills found
throughout the country. Tella is often served at special ceremonies and celebrations and is enjoyed by many
Ethiopians across the country. As I was instructed to interview a specialist in some a special activity about the
description or process of that special activity by "Research Methods in Anthropology" lecturer Dr. Hana
Getachew, I have interviewed my orthodox Christian neighbor, Mrs. Tarik Bekele, about the step by step
process of preparing tella. This paper contains the transcription of my interview on how we can prepare tella in
a few simple steps. My special gratitude goes to Mrs. Tarik Bekele.

Body

Bruk: Good Morning Mrs. Tarik! As you may know I am a social anthropology student in HU, and my research
professor gave me an assignment to interview someone who is well-versed in a particular activity. Considering
your well-known expertise in the preparation of tella in our village, I wanted to ask if you would be willing to
be interviewed on this subject. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Mrs. Tarik: Hello Bruk! Thank you so much for the wonderful compliment of considering me an expert on our
traditional drink, tella. I am delighted to share my knowledge and would be more than happy to be interviewed
about the preparation process of tella.

Bruk: Thank you, Mrs. Tarik, for your willingness to cooperate. I assure you have the freedom to express your
knowledge in whatever way is most comfortable for you. I greatly appreciate your cooperation. You can
continue now.
 Step 1: Ingredients

The basic ingredients for tella preparation are raw grain barley (Hordeum vulgare), barley malt, leaves and
steams of gesho (R. prinoides). These ingredients can be obtained from any local markets in Ethiopia.

Step 2: Preparation of Ingredients

Barley was cleaned, roasted until it was dark, and ground into flour called derekot. The derekot was packed into
plastic bags and stored in a cool room. Barley malt was also cleaned, grounded and put into plastic bags which
were kept somewhere dry and dark. To make tella, the leaves and thin branches of gesho were pounded with a
wooden mortar and pestle until they became small pieces, then they were also packed into plastic bags to be
kept dry and in the dark until needed again.

Step 3: Adjunct Preparation Methods for Tella.

Tella was made using two traditional techniques: kitta and enkuro. For the kitta method, barley flour was mixed
with water to make dough which was then baked into flat bread on a heat griddle. The bread was then cooled
and broken into pieces, dried and stored for use later in the fermentation process. With the enkuro approach,
barley powder was combined with less water than kitta and shaped into balls which were cooked on a hot
griddle, cooled, dried and put in plastic bags ready for use in fermentation.

Step 4: Tella Processing Phase.

Tella processing involves three steps: tejet, tinsis, and difedef. To make tejet, you need to combine 100g malt
and 125g gesho leaf powder in a bowl and then cover it with a cloth for 3 days. Divide the mixture in two parts
and add 225g of either kitta or enkuro cover it again with a cloth for another 3 days. Then mix 900g of the
remaining ingredients with 5 liters of water in the bowl to turn it into tella. Leave it covered for one last time for
another 3 days before its ready to be used.

Conclusion

Congratulations! We've now made tella, the traditional Ethiopian drink made from a range of ingredients. Tella
has an alcoholic content of 3% to 5%, making it Ethiopia’s most popular alcohol. In addition to its intoxicating
effects, the drink is said to contain high levels of proteins and vitamins which provide energy for those who
consume it in moderation. Tella can be also served as a cold or hot drink depending on preference. Various
fruits, spices, and honey can also be added into this mix to produce various flavors of tella.