I love exploring food from a variety of cultures and countries. And African and Asian foods are some of my absolute favorites. Today I have a recipe to make quick Ethiopian Injera style flatbread.
This week Sunday Funday is heading to Africa. Africa is large, so there is no shortage of ideas. I decided to stick with something I know can’t go wrong - bread! Here are two popular recipes:
- Chapati
- Injera
How to Make Injera Ethiopian Flatbread
East African Chapati
Chapati is a delicious traditional African flatbread, which is especially good served with curried soups and stews. And you won't believe how easy it is to make! These chapati flatbreads are a staple in both Indian and East African cuisine. And for good reason. And best of all - they're super simple to make. Easy to make with just three simple ingredients. Soft and fluffy! Perfect for pairing with East African or Indian cuisine.
Try serving these chapati with this African-Style Peanut and Okra Stew or this flavorful Indian Lentil Curry. This recipe is originally from Breadtime: A Down-to-Earth Cookbook for Bakers and Bread Lovers* by Susan Jane Cheney. It was reprinted with permission.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons oil (I used canola)
- 1 cup warm water
- Additional oil for brushing
Instructions:
- Place the flour, salt, oil, and water into a food processor fitted with a dough blade and process until combined into a soft dough.
- Turn out onto a work surface and knead until smooth. If the dough is too dry, add water 1 tablespoon at a time; if too wet, add a tablespoon of flour at a time.
- Divide the dough into 3 ounce balls, then cover with a damp towel and rest for 15 minutes.
- After resting, roll each dough ball into a thin round.
- Set a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Use a paper towel to distribute a small amount of oil over the bottom of the skillet.
- Cook one round of dough at a time until touched with light brown spots, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side; repeat with the other balls of dough.
- Keep the chapatis warm, stacked one atop another in a covered container, until all are done.
Here is a quick Injera recipe using teff flour. Authentic Injera batter takes about 4~5 days to ferment. This recipe uses an untraditional ingredient, instant yeast, to ferment the batter and needs only 1 hour of rising time. This method makes soft, fluffy Ethiopian style flatbread in no time.
Read also: Experience Fad's Fine African Cuisine
Serve with mesir wat and tikel gomen for a wholesome and filling meal. Ethiopian food is one of my favorites. I have been looking for a quick Injera recipe for quite some time. This recipe is from Vegan Eats World cookbook.
What is Teff?
Teff is a small millet and belongs to the same family as finger millet (aka ragi) and proso millet (varagu). Whole teff looks very similar to ragi in color and shape, but they belong to different biological genus. Teff has been grown in Africa for centuries. It is a staple in Ethiopian diet and accounts for about two-thirds of the daily protein intake.
Quick Injera Recipe
I have another Injera recipe on the blog which is made with sourdough starter. There the batter needs to rest overnight. But this quick recipe which is not authentic by any means, uses a small amount of yeast and needs only about 1 hour rising time.
Ingredients:
- Teff flour - is the traditional flour to make injera.
- All purpose flour
- Instant yeast
- Salt
- Baking soda
- Apple cider vinegar
- Warm water
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine teff flour, all purpose flour, instant yeast, salt and baking soda. Mix well.
- Stir in apple cider vinegar and warm water. Whisk vigorously into a smooth batter without lumps.
- Cover and set aside for 1 hour in a warm spot.
- When ready to make the flatbread, preheat a non-stick or cast iron skillet on medium-high heat for at least 5 minutes.
- Lightly spray the skillet with cooking spray.
- Pour ¼ cup of the batter on the outside of the hot pan and work in a spiral toward the center. Swirl the pan to evenly distribute it in the pan.
- Immediately cover the pan with a loose-fitting lid and let the injera cook for 2~3 minutes. Injera is done when the top is no longer shiny or wet and feels firm to touch.
- Transfer the cooked injera to a plate and cover immediately with a kitchen towel or a plastic wrap. Repeat with the remaining batter.
- Stack the injera on top of each other. Make sure that you use a good quality non-stick pan to make the Injera.
Traditionally side dishes are placed right over the flatbread and served. It is more or less like a plate in itself.
Tips and Variations:
- Buckwheat flour is an acceptable alternative to teff flour in this recipe.
- You can use either white vinegar or lemon juice instead of apple cider vinegar.
- If you want a slightly more sour taste to the injera, then increase the amount of apple cider vinegar by 1~2 teaspoons.
- Make sure that you use a good quality non-stick pan to make the Injera. If not, they tend to stick to the pan.
- Leftover injera can be stored well wrapped in the fridge for up to 4 days. Freeze them for up to 2 months.
Authentic Injera Recipe
An authentic Injera recipe, the famous Ethiopian flatbread that’s so perfect for scooping up your favorite Ethiopian dishes and mopping up all of those flavorful juices and sauces. This recipe doesn’t take shortcuts but uses the traditional method for achieving the richest flavor. Whether you choose to use all teff or a combination of flour types, we’ll take you through the process step-by-step to ensure your success!
Read also: The Story Behind Cachapas
If you’ve ever been to an Ethiopian restaurant - certainly if you’ve ever set foot in Ethiopia - you will have heard of injera. It’s a sourdough flatbread unlike any other sourdough. It starts out looking like a crepe but then develops a unique porous and slightly spongy texture. And that’s exactly how injera is used, as an eating utensil. And as a plate. And often in place of the tablecloth.
A variety of stews, vegetables and/or salads are placed on a large piece of injera and guests use their right hands to tear portions of the injera which are used for gripping the food.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups teff flour, brown or ivory , or substitute a portion of it with some barley or wheat flour (note: teff is gluten free)
- 3 cups distilled water (fluoride and chlorine will both interfere with the fermentation process)
Note: If you’re new to making injera I recommend using a combination of teff and barley or wheat as 100% teff is more challenging to work with.
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and water (and yeast if you're using it).
- Loosely place some plastic wrap on the bowl (it needs some air circulation, you just want to keep any critters out) and let the mixture sit undisturbed at room temperature for 4-5 days (the longer it ferments, the deeper the flavor). (Depending on what kind of flour you're using, you may need to add a little more water if the mixture is becoming dry.)
- The mixture will be fizzy, the color will be very dark and, depending on the humidity, a layer of aerobic yeast will have formed on the top. (Aerobic yeast is a normal result of fermentation. If however your batter forms mold on it, it will need to be discarded.)
- Pour off the aerobic yeast and as much of the liquid as possible. A clay-like batter will remain. Give it a good stir.
- In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup of the injera batter, whisking constantly until it is thickened. This will happen pretty quickly. Then stir the cooked/thickened batter back into the original fermented batter.
- Add some water to the batter to thin it out to the consistency of crepe batter. I added about 2/3 cup water but this will vary from batch to batch. The batter will have a sweet-soured nutty smell.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Depending on how good your non-stick pan is, you may need to very lightly spray it with some oil.
- Spread the bottom of the skillet with the injera batter - not as thin as crepes but not as thick as traditional pancakes. Allow the injera to bubble and let the bubbles pop.
- Once the bubbles have popped, place a lid on top of the pan and turn off the heat. Let the injera steam cook for a couple or so more minutes until cooked through.
- Be careful not to overcook the injera or they will become gummy and soggy. Remove the injera with a spatula and repeat.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Both the texture and color of the injera will vary greatly depending on what kind of teff you use (dark or ivory) and whether or not you’re combining it with other flours. Gluten-based flours (e.g.
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