The major foods obtained from enset are kocho, bulla and amicho. Kocho is the bulk of the fermented starch obtained from the mixture of the decorticated (scraped) leafsheaths and grated corm (underground stem base). Kocho can be stored for long periods of time without spoiling. The quality of kocho depends on the age of the harvested enset plant, the type of clone (variety), and the harvesting season. Moreover, within one plant, the quality is influenced by the part of leafsheath and corm processed. The preferred type is white in color and is obtained from the innermost leafsheaths and inner part of the corm, while the lowest grade is blackish and is obtained from the outer leafsheath and corm. Although many different dishes are prepared from kocho (Plate 6l), a pancake-like bread is the most common. Kocho prepared as a fermented enset bread has also become extremely popular at restaurants that serve the Ethiopian delicacy of kitfo (raw ground beef mixed with butter and spices). The combination of kocho and kitfo is now virtually required at restaurants (Plate 5c).

Bulla is obtained by: 1) scraping the leafsheath, peduncle, and grated corm into a pulp; 2) squeezing liquid containing a starch from the pulp (Plate 6f); 3) allowing the resultant starch to concentrate into a white powder; and 4) rehydrating with water. It is considered the best quality enset food and is obtained mainly from fully matured enset plants. Bulla can be prepared as a pancake, porridge, or dumpling.

Amicho is the boiled enset corm, usually of a younger plant (Plate 5b). Enset plants may be uprooted for preparing meals quickly if the amount of enset harvested is insufficient, or for special occasions. The corm is boiled and consumed in a manner similar to preparation methods for other root and tuber crops. Certain clones are selected for their amicho production.

What are the non-food uses of enset?

Enset provides fiber as a byproduct of decorticating the leafsheaths. Enset fiber has excellent structure, and its strength is equivalent to the fiber of abaca, a world-class fiber crop. About 600 tons of enset fiber per year are sent to factories. In rural areas the fiber is used to make sacks, bags, ropes, cordage, mats, construction materials (such as tying materials that can be used in place of nails), and sieves (Plates 5g and 5h).

Fresh enset leaves are used as bread and food wrappers, serving plates, and pit liners to store kocho for fermentation and future use (Plate 6g). During enset harvesting enset leaves are used to line the ground where processing and fermentation take place.

The dried petioles and midribs are used as fuel, and to make mats and tying materials for house construction (Plate 5f). The dried leafsheaths are used as feed and wrapping materials. The pulp from the dried leafsheaths, petioles, and midribs is used as cleaning rags and brushes, baby cushions/diapers, and cooking pot stands. Dried leafsheaths are used as wrappers for butter, kocho, and other items to transport to local markets (Plate 5e). Enset leaves are an important cattle feed, especially in the dry season when grasses are scarce. Leaves are carried into the house for stall feeding of cattle during the nighttime (Plate 5d).

Particular clones (or varieties) and parts of enset plants are used medicinally for both humans and livestock to cure bone fractures, broken bones, childbirth problems (i.e., assisting to discharge the placenta), diarrhea, and birth control (as an abortifacieant).

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