Injera is the staple of every Ethiopian/Eritrean meal. Traditionally, food is served on a large, communal platter atop a piece of injera. A basket of the stuff accompanies the meal, and food is eaten by hand, folded in small pieces of the bread.

The required flour, teff, is particular to Ethiopia; it is a small grain, dark brown/gray, and can be ground to an extraordinarily fine texture. This should make about 10 or 12 pieces:

Mix the ground teff in with 3 1/2 cups of water and let stand, covered, until it begins to bubble and turn sour. The mixture should reach a consistency like pancake batter. Stir in a little bit of salt so that you can just barely taste it. Pour a little oil into a heated skillet, and add just enough batter to cover the bottom. Heat until the injera starts to form holes.

Yay! Depending on luck and skill, you now have either a tasty Ethiopean bread to accompany your kitfo or Tekil Gomen, or an ungodly mess of batter which tastes like warm vinegar! It should be very thin, a little fluffy, and very soft.


28th of November, 2004: unperson thinks I should add that the end-result should be a sour, spongy crepe. I hereby add that the end-result should be a sour, spongy crepe.