Recipe to make quick Ethiopian flatbread similar to Injera with Teff flour. Serve them with delicious lentil and vegetable sides for a filling, wholesome meal.
Today I have a recipe to make quick Ethiopian Injera style flatbread. Authentic Injera batter takes about 4~5 days to ferment. Whereas this quick version needs just about an hour to rise.
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.
Teff is a Millet
This recipe is for blogging marathon's theme 'millet recipes'. 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. They are both gluten-free and very nutritious.
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. Read more about Teff and millet article by whole grains council.
Quick Injera
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
A combination of all purpose flour and teff flour is used in this recipe. If you can't find teff flour, buckwheat flour is a good substitute to use in this recipe.
The flatbread is leavened with a small amount of instant yeast.
The reaction between apple cider vinegar and baking soda helps in giving these quick flatbreads the characteristic injera texture.
Instructions
Start by combining all purpose flour and teff flour, in a medium size bowl.
Add instant yeast, baking soda, salt and mix well.
Stir in warm water, apple-cider vinegar and whisk vigorously until a smooth batter forms.
Cover the bowl and set aside to rise for about 1 hour.
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 pan with cooking spray.
Mix the batter once or twice and then pour about ¼ cup of 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.
Cover and cook for about 2 minutes. The bottom of the flatbread should be completely cooked through and the top should be dry 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.
Serve them warm or at room temperature.
How to serve?
Traditionally side dishes are placed right over the flatbread and served. It is more or less like a plate in itself.
If you want to experience a complete Ethiopian meal, then go ahead and make mesir wat and tikel gomen.
But if you don't have the time, then a simple dal (like this Bengali dal) and a stir fry curry (like this aloo-gobhi) will also be great. If not make this potato lentil stew and enjoy the meal.
Quick Ethiopian Flatbread | Injera Style
Ingredients
- 1 cup Teff flour*
- ½ cup All purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Instant yeast
- 2 cups Warm water
- 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- ½ teaspoon Sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon Baking soda
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously into a smooth batter, cover and set aside for 1 hour in a warm spot.
- Preheat a 9" non-stick or cast-iron skillet on high heat for 5 minutes.
- Lightly spray the skillet with cooking spray.
- Pour ¼cup of the batter on the outside of the hot pan and work in a spiral toward the center. Tilt the pan to fill in any holes. 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.
- Stack the injera on top of each other. Keep them covered to keep them moist and soft.
Notes
- Buckwheat flour can be used instead of Teff flour.
- Apple cider vinegar can be substituted with either white vinegar or lemon juice.
Nutrition
Let’s check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked up today for BM# 113.
Crystal Miyake
Hi! Could you switch the amount of teff and flour? So more teff than flour? Thanks for sharing this recipe!
cookshideout
You can use more teff than flour. But you might have to adjust the water quantity. Just make sure that the batter is pouring consistency.
cookshideout
Crystal, I actually retested the recipe with more teff flour (1 cup teff with 1/2 cup all purpose flour) and the Injera turned out great. I will update the post with this because these looked and tasted so much like real injera. Thank you so much for your comment and for the idea.