Injera or “the Ethiopian pancake”
Injera, is an Ethiopian flatbread, also known as the “Ethiopian pancake”, which is served with almost all traditional recipes and dishes from Ethiopia. It is considered the number one staple food of 
Ethiopia and is used to both serve the delicious Ethiopian dishes on as well as the cutlery to pick up the Ethiopian stews. Next to Ethiopia is this food also very popular in Eritrea and Somalia and some other East African countries. One can buy premade Injera in the freezers of some stores, but the best taste you will get by making this delicious Ethiopian food yourself. Injera is traditionally made from teff flour which is a finely ground flour made from the grains of Teff, a tiny species of grains which grows in the Ethiopian Highlands. However very fine millet flour, which might be easier to get in your local may also be used to make this delicious Ethiopian pancake, the Injera flatbread. When making Injera take into account that the best results for a homemade injera is to let the dough ferment for at least a day or two. If you can’t wait this long you can add warm water instead of cold to fasten up the process.
Ingredients for Ethiopian Injera
- 500g of teff flour (or very fine Millet flour)
- 1 small packet of dry yeast
- Water
- Utensil: A very large frying pan or griddle
How to cook your own Ethiopian Injera
Here is the recipe for a traditional ethiopian Injera pancake in 10 very easy steps:
1st Step: Mix the yeast together with 2 tbs of hot water in a glass
2nd Step: Put 375 gram of the flour in a bowl and the glass of water and yeast to it.
3rd Step: Add 500ml of cold water to the flour and mix the dough until very smooth
4th Step: Let the dough rest for at least one day ( or in case of hot water: 3hrs)
(the following day)
5th step: Pour the remaining flour (125 gram) in another bowl.
6th step: Boil 150ml of water and pour over the flour. Mix and let it stand 5 minutes.
7th step: Now mix the dough of the previous day (which has fermented) together with 165ml of cold water with the dough of today.
8th step: Let it rest for about one hour
9th step: Heat a nonstick griddle or large frying pan and pour a ladle of batter to form a very thin layer in the pan or on the griddle.
10th step: Cover the pan or griddle when the first bubbles start to appear and cook for about 5 minutes.
Now your Injera is ready and you can serve your delicious Ethiopian, Eritrean or Somalian food on your own homemade Injera.
መልካም ምግብ (melkam megeb) or Bonne Appetit