Gluten-Free Teff Injera

Ingredients

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• 2 cups teff flour (about 300 g) Shop
• 3 cups lukewarm water, filtered or dechlorinated
• 1/4 tsp instant yeast, to start the fermentation Shop
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda (optional, for more holes) Shop
• 1 tsp neutral oil, for the pan

Instructions

1. 1 In a large glass or ceramic bowl, whisk the teff flour, yeast and 2 1/2 cups of the water into a smooth batter.
2. 2 Cover loosely with a towel and leave at room temperature for 48-72 hours, stirring once a day. It will bubble, smell pleasantly sour and may separate; a layer of liquid on top is normal. Discard any batter with pink, orange or fuzzy mold.
3. 3 When ready to cook, stir in the salt and enough of the remaining water to make a batter like thin pancake batter. Stir in the baking soda, if using, and rest for 10 minutes.
4. 4 Heat a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat and wipe it with a little oil.
5. 5 Pour about 1/2 cup batter in a spiral from the edge to the center and tilt the pan to fill gaps. Cook uncovered until holes cover the surface, about 1 minute.
6. 6 Cover the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes more, until the top looks dry and the edges lift. Do not flip.
7. 7 Slide onto a clean towel to cool for a minute, then stack. Wipe the pan and repeat.

Tips & Notes

• Use filtered or boiled-and-cooled water for the teff batter. Chlorine in tap water can slow the fermentation that gives injera its sour flavor.
• Cook injera on one side only and cover the pan once the holes form. The steam cooks the top so it stays soft and spongy.
• Let each injera cool for a minute before stacking. Stacked while hot, they stick together.

Common questions