United by Taste
Recipe photo for Injera

Injera

by United by Taste

Injera

by United by Taste

🇪🇹 Ethiopia 🇪🇷 Eritrea ·Africa
Prep
Cook
Total
8 portions
Injera is the iconic spongy, sour flatbread that forms the foundation of Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. Made from naturally fermented teff flour, it has a unique tangy flavor and a soft, holey surface known as 'eyes.' Injera serves as both plate and utensil, used to scoop up stews and vegetables. Its slightly sour taste comes from a wild fermentation process that can take several days, giving the bread its signature complexity and lightness.

Ingredients

Fermented Batter

2 cup teff flour ideally ivory or brown teff
3 cup water room temperature or lukewarm, divided
0.25 cup active starter (ersho) optional, from a previous batch to speed fermentation

Cooking

0.5 tsp salt added just before cooking
0.5 cup water to thin batter as needed

Ingredients

8 portions

Fermented Batter

2 cupteff flour ideally ivory or brown teff
3 cupwater room temperature or lukewarm, divided
0.25 cupactive starter (ersho) optional, from a previous batch to speed fermentation

Cooking

0.5 tspsalt added just before cooking
0.5 cupwater to thin batter as needed

Instructions

Make the Batter

  1. 1

    Mix teff and water

    In a large non-metallic bowl, whisk together the teff flour and 2 cups of the water until smooth, with no lumps remaining. The batter should be thin and pourable. If using an active ersho starter from a previous batch, stir it in now to jump-start fermentation.

  2. 2

    Cover loosely

    Cover the bowl loosely with a clean cloth or plastic wrap with a small gap for airflow. Set it in a warm spot, ideally around 24-27°C (75-80°F), away from direct sunlight.

Ferment

  1. 1

    Let it ferment

    Allow the batter to ferment for 2 to 4 days. After the first day, a layer of clear or yellowish liquid will rise to the top — this is normal. Each day, you may see bubbles forming as wild yeast and bacteria develop the characteristic sour flavor.

  2. 2

    Check for sourness

    The batter is ready when it smells distinctly sour and tangy and the surface is covered in small bubbles. In warmer climates this happens faster (2 days); in cooler climates it may take up to 4 days. Pour off most of the watery liquid on top before proceeding.

Prepare for Cooking

  1. 1

    Make the absit (optional but traditional)

    Take about half a cup of the fermented batter, mix it with one cup of boiling water in a small saucepan, and cook briefly until it thickens into a paste (absit). Stir this back into the main batter. This step gives injera a better texture and helps it cook evenly.

  2. 2

    Adjust consistency and season

    Stir in the salt and enough of the remaining water to bring the batter to the consistency of thin pancake batter or heavy cream. Let it rest for 15-30 minutes until it bubbles gently. The batter should pour smoothly off a spoon.

Cook the Injera

  1. 1

    Heat the pan

    Heat a large non-stick skillet or a traditional mitad griddle over medium heat. Do not oil it — injera is cooked dry. The pan is ready when a drop of water sizzles and evaporates immediately.

  2. 2

    Pour in a spiral

    Pour the batter onto the hot pan in a thin spiral, starting from the outer edge and working inward, covering the surface in one continuous motion. Do not spread it with a spoon — let it settle on its own.

  3. 3

    Cover and steam

    Immediately cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 1-2 minutes. You will see the surface fill with tiny holes called 'eyes' and the edges begin to lift. Injera is cooked on one side only — do not flip it.

  4. 4

    Remove and cool

    Once the top is dry and set with no wet spots, gently slide the injera off onto a clean cloth or tray. Let each one cool completely before stacking so they don't stick together. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Credits & Inspiration

  • Daring Gourmet

    Detailed guidance on the fermentation timeline and the absit thickening technique.

  • Serious Eats

    Reference for batter consistency and the spiral pouring method for proper 'eyes'.

  • The Spruce Eats

    Insight on using teff flour and the cook-one-side-only technique.

  • Saveur

    Traditional context on wild fermentation and the role of injera as plate and utensil.

  • BBC Good Food

    Practical tips for cooking injera at home on a non-stick pan.

More from 🇪🇹 Ethiopia

Shiro Wat

Shiro Wat

🇪🇹
by United by Taste
40 min
0 items in basket