Injera
Ingredients:
- Teff Flour
- White Flour (optional)
- Water
Method:
Initial Ferment (day 1):
- In a large bowl mix 1/2 C of sourdough start, 1 C water, and 1 C of teff flour.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow to sit in a warm place overnight. It is important to wait until your sponge is light and fluffy with new air bubbles from the yeast before moving on to the next step.
Making the Dough (day 2):
- Once your sponge is ready, add 1 C of teff flour, using a soft spatula to fold the dough over itself until it is no longer crumbly and holds its shape. You may need to add a little more teff or water at this point to get the right consistency. The mixture should be a stiff dough at this point.
- Cover the bowl again and allow the dough to rise for about 8 hours.
Soaking Dough (day 3):
- Pour enough water over the dough so that it covers it by several inches.
- Use a spoon or your hand to mix the dough thoroughly into the water.
- Cover the bowl and let sit for at least 12-24 hours.
Developing Dough (day 4):
- Remove the blackish liquid (hooch) that has formed on the top of the injera and set aside.
- Remove about a cup of the injera and cook on medium heat in a small pot until the dough begins to thicken.
- Let the thickened injera cool and then add back into injera dough mixing until lumps are gone.
- Mix in enough water to make the dough have a crepe consistency.
- Let ferment for another 8 hours.
Cook Injera (day 4.5):
- Remove hooch and set aside.
- Add hooch back into injera until it is slightly thinner than crepe batter.
- Usually you would want to use a mitad, but as this can be difficult to find, you will want to use a pan that is flat and can have a cover placed over it.
- Preheat your pan over medium heat (~250F).
- Reserve 1/2 C injera as a starter for next time.
- Using a ladle pour injera batter from the outside in to form a circle.
- Cook until your start to see bubbles (eyes) forming over the entire injera.
- Cover with a lid and cook for another 5 minutes. Make sure it doesn't dry out.
- When the edges begin to lift off the pan slightly you can remove the injera and place on a dishtowel to allow it to cool. Be sure to have the top facing upwards, since it will be
- Adjust hydration if you need to by adding back in hooch.
- Continue this process until you have used all your dough
Notes:
Injera is really tricky to make so keep trying and eventually you will get it right.
The amount of water you add isn't very important until the cooking stage, so don't worry about adding too much water.
You can at any point substitute a portion of teff flour with white flour.