My husband introduced me to Ethiopian cuisine almost seven years ago, and I was an instant fan. Ethiopian food is rich in spices, the most common being a blend called Berbere (pronounced " ber-beray"), a mixture which includes ginger, garlic, fiery red chile, salt, fenugreek seeds, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, turmeric and garlic. It's used predominately in stews and it is also converted to a paste to flavor meats.
Instead of using utensils, Ethiopians use a sponge like sourdough flat bread called injera, to scoop up their food with their hands. Injera is made from teff flour and is cooked on a griddle to the consistency of a thin flatbread. It is a bit like a crepe but is not egg-based and is more like a thin pancake. The main ingredient, teff, is an ancient grass originally cultivated in Ethiopia and believed to be the smallest grain in the world. Although tiny, it's packed with nutrients. It's rich in calcium, iron, copper aluminum, barium, thiamin -- and it is gluten free. Teff is now also cultivated in the US.
If you've never had Ethiopian food before, I recommend finding a highly-rated restaurant in your area and starting off with a veggie & meat combo (most restaurants offer one).This will give you a perfect taste of the most popular dishes.
I taught myself how to make injera almost five years ago because I lived on an island with no Ethiopian restaurants.This recipe is foolproof and delicious. Practice makes perfect, so don't fret if your first piece of injera doesn't come out perfect. By the third one, you'll be a pro.
Note: This recipe is a two day process
Recipe adapted from http://burakaeyae.blogspot.com/search?q=injera
Instead of using utensils, Ethiopians use a sponge like sourdough flat bread called injera, to scoop up their food with their hands. Injera is made from teff flour and is cooked on a griddle to the consistency of a thin flatbread. It is a bit like a crepe but is not egg-based and is more like a thin pancake. The main ingredient, teff, is an ancient grass originally cultivated in Ethiopia and believed to be the smallest grain in the world. Although tiny, it's packed with nutrients. It's rich in calcium, iron, copper aluminum, barium, thiamin -- and it is gluten free. Teff is now also cultivated in the US.
If you've never had Ethiopian food before, I recommend finding a highly-rated restaurant in your area and starting off with a veggie & meat combo (most restaurants offer one).This will give you a perfect taste of the most popular dishes.
I taught myself how to make injera almost five years ago because I lived on an island with no Ethiopian restaurants.This recipe is foolproof and delicious. Practice makes perfect, so don't fret if your first piece of injera doesn't come out perfect. By the third one, you'll be a pro.
Note: This recipe is a two day process
Recipe adapted from http://burakaeyae.blogspot.com/search?q=injera
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Signing UpStep 1: Ingredients & Prep
Ingredients:
Teff Flour- 2 Cups
Self Rising Flour- 3 Cups
Sour Dough Starter 2 Cups- If you don't want to make your own, contact local bakeries in your area. Chances are they'll sell you some or even give it to you for free.
Luke Warm Water
1 teaspoon Salt
Specialty Equipment:
Lefse Grill - Non-Stick
Blender
Plastic Container w/ lid
Measuring Cup
Suffid or flat plastic cutting board for removing injera from the grill. The plastic might bend a little, but it does the trick.
:
Teff Flour- 2 Cups
Self Rising Flour- 3 Cups
Sour Dough Starter 2 Cups- If you don't want to make your own, contact local bakeries in your area. Chances are they'll sell you some or even give it to you for free.
Luke Warm Water
1 teaspoon Salt
Specialty Equipment:
Lefse Grill - Non-Stick
Blender
Plastic Container w/ lid
Measuring Cup
Suffid or flat plastic cutting board for removing injera from the grill. The plastic might bend a little, but it does the trick.
:
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Is there any grain Bob's Red Mill DOESN'T sell?
Instead of blending for 8-10 min on day two, have you ever tried pre grinding the Teff in a coffee grinder? That SHOULD break it down fine enough to remove the grittiness, i think.
Blending is a really important part of making the injera. The teff is already so miniscule, I'm not sure per-grinding would break it down anymore. It's worth a try, but I still wouldn't recommend skipping the blending step.