By Rebecca Cook RECENT NEWS STORIES from Africa of famine and war have often eclipsed the memory of the ancient civilizations of sophistication and influence that once flourished on that continent. Ethiopia's history can be traced back at least 2,000 years, to the time when King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba's son, Menelik I, became the first in a royal line that ended in 1975 with the death of Haile Selassie. Given that food and culture are so often intrinsically linked, it should come as no surprise that Ethiopian cuisine is rich, complex and intriguing. Fortunately for Tucsonans, they can now sample some of Ethiopia's culinary treasures at Zemam's Restaurant, an eatery that provides tradition and custom, as well as vivid flavor, in every bite. Zemam's menu proclaims that eating is considered an intensely social event in Ethiopia. Everything is eaten communally from a central platter, reinforcing the belief that all things are to be shared with those around you. At Zemam's, a lazy Susan takes on a profound spiritual significance. What next strikes the Western diner about Zemam's is the absence of cutlery, an observation that reaches deep foreboding as the food arrives in a decidedly non-fingerfood-like state. A note on the menu from Zemam's proprietor Amanuel Gebremariam reassuringly explains that eating with one's hands is the second most popular way of consuming food, chopsticks being number one. To facilitate the transfer of food from communal platter to mouth, Zemam's suggests using injera, a traditional Ethiopian bread. A small piece of this spongy bread, which looks like a large, barely-cooked pancake and tastes a little like sourdough, is torn off and used to grab a bite-sized piece of food. A bit intimidating at first, this method of eating quickly gained popularity at my table and, before long, I'd completely forgotten about forks, knives and other such nonsense. Zemam's menu is not extensive, consisting of no more than 10 selections, but these choices provide options ranging from vegetarian dishes to braised lamb tips. The best option we found was Zemam's Plate, which allows each person ordering to select any three menu items. Simple arithmetic should tell you it isn't too difficult to do a fairly thorough sampling of the menu by going this route. In composing our platter, we selected the shiro, a blend of pureed chick peas, berbere sauce and spices; doro wat, which is chicken slow-cooked in berbere sauce; yemisir wat, a spicy lentil stew; yetakelt wat, a seasoned medley of potatoes and other vegetables; spinach wat, a rich blend of spinach and cottage cheese, and kit wat, split peas cooked with lots of onion, garlic and green pepper. In English, the closest translation for "wat" is stew. Picture, if you will, a large platter smattered with a hodgepodge rhapsody in shades of beige and dull green. Aesthetically speaking, this vision might not get your mouth watering, but once the aroma from these dishes wafts your way, you'll want to grab your injera and dig in. Although Ethiopian food tends to have a bit of a kick, it does not excoriate the palate. The ubiquitous berbere sauce, which infuses many of Zemam's dishes with a faint glow, is made with red chiles, cayenne, black peppercorns and a surprising and unusual combination of other spices. Of the six dishes we tried, the standout for me was the split peas. Delicately seasoned and perfectly blended with the other ingredients, I could have scooped away at this dish all night. Zemam's wats are not mushy or overdone. Although thoroughly blended, each dish retains the vestiges of its individual ingredients. Currently, Zemam's does not have a liquor license, but customers are invited to bring in their own alcoholic beverage of choice. It's also important to note that Zemam's, situated in a converted house on East Broadway, is a cozy place with very few tables. The night we were there, a party of 10 and a party of eight nearly usurped all the available seating. Reservations are accepted and, if you're the type who cannot abide waiting, I suggest you call ahead. Delicious food, no eating utensils and cosmic connectedness à la lazy Susan. What else could a gastronomic thrill- seeker want? Zemam's Restaurant. 2731 E. Broadway. 323-9928. Open 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 5:30

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