Ethan’s Moroccan Couscous
Ethan Abensohn hails from Boston and now calls McLean, Virginia, home. He teaches Spanish and French at an all-girls boarding school, where he’s also a dorm parent — and a cat parent. Between classes, he studies Arabic, adding another layer to his polyglot life.
A man of early mornings, Mr. Abensohn begins his day steeped in languages and learning — books, Arabic podcasts, and new vocabulary written neatly in the margins of his notebook. In the fall, he runs with the cross-country team; in the off-season, he runs alone, often mapping his miles the way others trace old memories.
He plans to spend the next summer completing his M.A. in Spanish, though he imagines even more international adventures to come — each place, each dish, another chapter in his lifelong dialogue with the world.
Languages of Taste: On Curiosity, Culture, and Connection
Language, for Mr. Abensohn, is not only about words — it’s about how people live, what they eat, and what they offer to one another.
“As I was preparing for this interview,” he admits with a smile, “I realized that most of my favorite foods are from other cultures. Food is another way to share languages and stories.”
His list of favorite dishes reads like a travelogue. From Cameroon, ndolé — a dark green stew of bitter leaves, peanuts, and meat — rich, earthy, and comforting. Fufu, soft and starchy, is made from cassava or yams, eaten with a sauce that brings the meal to life.
“It’s starchy, simple — but I actually love starches,” he laughs.
In Morocco, where he lived for three years, it was couscous — not just the grain, but the national dish itself.
“Moroccan couscous is more than food,” he explains. “It’s pride. It’s identity. Seven vegetables, tender meat, a whole tradition on a single plate.”
He also recalls zaalouk, a smoky eggplant salad eaten with bread — “simple, but so flavorful.”
France, too, left its mark: choucroute garnie from Alsace — sauerkraut with sausage and pork — and boeuf bourguignon, a slow-simmered beef stew in wine.
“I don’t eat meat anymore,” he says gently. “But back then, those dishes felt like the essence of comfort.”
And more recently, in Ecuador, humitas — fresh corn dough steamed with cheese, onions, and spices in corn husks — “like a cousin to tamales, but with its own soul.”
On Vegetarianism and Flexibility
For someone who loves food, vegetarianism might seem like a constraint. But for Mr. Abensohn, it’s a reflection of mindfulness — balanced with flexibility and respect.
“I became vegetarian at 23,” he says, “but when I travel, I pause it. Because I think food is culture — it’s generosity. When someone invites you into their home and prepares something special, often it’s meat. It’s to acknowledge your presence with them and it's kind of like a source of a sign of generosity on their behalf to prepare some meat or fish.
He recalls the Moroccan families who prepared lamb tagine to welcome him, the Peruvian hosts who served ceviche with pride.
I would let them know like I have been vegetarian but then they would ask, so shall we only make vegetarian food? And I'd say, “No I'll eat whatever you're having.” I find it's good to be flexible when you're staying with people and kind of just allow them to go about like their usual daily habits.
That willingness to taste is his quiet philosophy of empathy: to learn from others not just through language or study, but through what they share at their tables.
On Comfort, Spice, and Openness
When asked what food he seeks for comfort, Ethan smiles.
“Indian food,” he answers instantly. “Especially vindaloo curry — I love the flavor, even if my spice tolerance isn’t great.”
He laughs, describing his favorite Indian restaurant in D.C. and how, in this area, “you can find almost any cuisine if you look hard enough.”
“Washington, D.C. has this incredible international presence,” he says. “In Boston, I couldn’t find much West African food, but here, it’s everywhere — that’s what makes this area special.”
For him, food diversity is proof that curiosity builds community — that openness, when practiced daily, reshapes the world.
“There are small steps to get out of our comfort zones,” he says. “Try something new. Take someone’s recommendation. I think study can be greatly beneficial.
🌱 Recipe Box: Moroccan Couscous (Ethan’s Favorite National Dish)
Ingredients (4 servings):
1 ½ cups couscous
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
1 zucchini, chopped
1 small piece of pumpkin or squash, cubed
1 can chickpeas, drained
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp cumin
½ tsp cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: cooked chicken or lamb (for the traditional version)
Instructions:
Heat olive oil and sauté the onion until golden.
Add carrots, zucchini, and squash; cook for 5 minutes.
Add chickpeas, broth, and spices; simmer until vegetables are tender.
Steam or cook couscous separately, then fluff with a fork.
Arrange couscous in a shallow dish, top with vegetables and broth.
Mr. Abensohn's table is a quiet celebration of connection — where languages, cultures, and flavors intertwine.
In his life, to speak another language is to taste another world. To share a meal is to honor another story.
“It’s really about finding the balance between being respectful, adapting and adjusting and still holding on to the things that for you are really essential and core to your person.”