I have an immensely difficult time finding gluten-free, vegan, sugar-free, yeast-free bread products, so the ingredient list for this recipe couldn't be more ideal for a celiac. The only ingredients: teff, salt, and water. Injera is the bread staple of Ethiopia and is eaten by most households everyday. Injera is traditionally made solely with teff grain, although some modern recipes call for yeast or all-purpose flour as well. The high iron content of teff makes it a perfect choice for a bread substitute. This recipe is very easy however, injera requires advanced planning and will not work for a last minute meal, as it can take up to three days for the teff to ferment before cooking is possible.
Traditional Ethiopian Teff Injera (Gluten-Free)
Servings: 20
Ingredients:
- 3 cups ground teff
- 4 cup distilled water
- Himalayan salt to taste
- Olive oil for the skillet
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Note: This is a large batch, as I like to have left-overs. Also, the fermentation process takes a while, so it's nice to have some injera for later. For a smaller batch, cut the ingredients in half.
- Mix ground teff with the water and let stand in a bowl covered with a dish towel at room temperature until it bubbles and has turned sour. The fermentation process will take approximately 1-3 days. The fermenting mixture should be the consistency of a very thin pancake batter.
- Stir in the salt, a little at a time, until you can barely detect its taste.
- Lightly oil a skillet 8 inches minimum but you can also use a larger one. Heat over medium heat.
- Pour in enough batter to cover the bottom of the skillet; About 1/4 cup will make a thin pancake covering the surface of an 8 inch skillet if you spread the batter around immediately by turning and rotating the skillet in the air; This is the classic French method for very thin crepes; Injera is not supposed to be paper thin so you should use a bit more batter than you would for crepes, but less than you would for a flapjack pancakes.
- Cook briefly, until holes form in the injera and the edges lift from the pan; Do not let it brown, and don't flip it over as it is only supposed to be cooked on one side.
- Remove and let cool. Place plastic wrap or foil between successive pieces so they don't stick together.
- To serve, lay one injera on a plate and ladle your chosen dishes on top. Serve additional injera on the side. Guests can be encouraged to eat their meal without utensils, instead using the injera to scoop up their food.
Important: Please use caution when eating with your hands. To avoid contamination make sure your hands are very clean with gluten-free soap before eating.
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