Buna (Coffee Ceremony)
ቡናAlso known as Bunna, Ethiopian coffee ceremony · Both
Coffee is native to Ethiopia, and buna is less a recipe than a ritual of hospitality. The host roasts green beans over coals, carries the smoking pan around so everyone can breathe in the aroma, grinds them fresh, and brews the coffee in a clay pot called a jebena. It is poured in three rounds, abol, tona, and baraka, and being invited to stay for all three is a real sign of friendship.
Method
- 1
Rinse the green coffee beans in a little water to clean them.
- 2
Roast the beans in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking constantly. They turn from green to yellow to brown, crackle and pop, and begin to glisten with oil.
- 3
Roast until they are a deep, even brown and fragrant, about 10 to 15 minutes. In the ceremony the host carries the smoking pan around the room so guests can wave the aroma toward themselves.
- 4
Let the beans cool for a moment, then grind them coarsely, traditionally with a wooden mortar and pestle (mukecha).
- 5
Fill the jebena with water and bring it to a boil, then add the ground coffee, roughly a heaping tablespoon per cup of water.
- 6
Let it boil up and settle two or three times, watching so it does not boil over. A wisp of fiber in the spout catches the grounds as you pour.
- 7
Let the grounds settle for a minute, then pour from a height into small handleless cups (sini), a steady stream that leaves the grounds behind in the pot.
- 8
Serve the first round, abol, sweetened to taste, with popcorn on the side. Top the same grounds with water and boil again for the second round, tona, and once more for the third, baraka, meaning blessing. Each round is a little lighter, and staying for all three is the polite thing and the whole point.
Cook's notes
- The ceremony is unhurried on purpose. It is an invitation to sit, talk, and be together, not a quick caffeine run.
- No jebena or green beans? You can approximate the spirit with good whole beans, a fresh grind, and a small pot, but roasting the green beans fresh is what fills the room with the real aroma.
Common questions
What are the three rounds called?+
Abol (the first and strongest), tona (the second), and baraka (the third, meaning blessing). Guests are expected to stay for all three.
Why is coffee such a big deal in Ethiopian and Eritrean homes?+
Coffee is native to Ethiopia, and the ceremony is a cornerstone of hospitality. Being invited to buna is a sign of friendship and respect.
More drinks
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