Kocho

Kocho is a traditional Ethiopian fermented flatbread made from the pulped pseudostem and corm of enset (Ensete ventricosum), the ‘false banana’ plant central to the food security of Ethiopia’s southern highlands. The pulp is scraped, squeezed and fermented in lined pits for weeks to months, during which lactic-acid bacteria and yeasts break down tough fibres, develop acidity and improve digestibility; the fermented mass is then formed into cakes and baked on a clay griddle. Long fermentation turns an otherwise coarse, indigestible crop into a filling staple with good keeping quality and a characteristic sour flavour. Hygienic pit preparation and thorough baking keep the product safe.