Injera
A spongy, tangy flatbread made from nothing but teff flour and water, left to wild-ferment for two to three days until it develops its signature sour tang and honeycomb of tiny surface bubbles. Central to both Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine since long before the two nations' 1993 political split, injera serves as edible plate and utensil, torn by hand to scoop up stews.
Vegan
Ingredients
- 2 cups (400g) teff flour
- 2.5-3 cups water, plus more for fermenting
- 1/4 cup active starter (ersho) or sourdough starter, optional
- Pinch of salt
- Neutral oil, for the griddle
Steps
- Whisk teff flour and water together in a large bowl into a thin, smooth batter.
- Cover loosely and let ferment at warm room temperature for 2-3 days, stirring once daily, until the batter smells pleasantly sour and is full of bubbles.
- Pour off any clear liquid that has risen to the top, then stir in the salt and thin with a little more water to a pourable, thin batter.
- Heat a large nonstick griddle or clay mitad over medium heat and lightly oil it.
- Pour the batter in a continuous spiral from the outside in to fill the griddle in one thin, even layer.
- Cover and cook undisturbed until the surface is covered in small holes and the edges lift away from the pan, about 2-3 minutes. Do not flip.
- Slide onto a clean towel to cool, stacking with a towel between each injera.