Tibs, firfir, shiro, beyaynetu and dulet: how do you explain Ethiopian everyday dishes to a newcomer?

These dishes show up on almost every menu. Here are the basics. Injera first - Injera is the sour flatbread under and beside most meals. It is made from teff flour mixed with water and fermented, traditionally with ersho, a tangy starter kept from earlier batches. - Fermentation by bacteria and yeast over several days creates the sourness. Today bakers' yeast sometimes replaces ersho. The dishes - Tibs: sauteed chunks of meat, usually served with vegetables and stews on injera. - Firfir: a breakfast dish of shredded leftover injera cooked in a sauce of berbere, onion and oil or butter, sometimes with eggs. It is usually eaten with a spoon. - Shiro: a chickpea-based stew, very common on fasting days when meat and dairy are avoided. Often served bubbling in a small clay pot. - Beyaynetu: a vegetarian combination platter of several fasting-friendly dishes, such as lentil stew and vegetables. - Dulet: finely chopped tripe and beef cooked with spices, according to restaurant descriptions. Ask how it is prepared. Recipes vary by cook and region. Your turn: what is your go-to order, what did you wish someone told you before your first injera meal, and which home-style version beats any restaurant?