Ethiopian Bread (Gluten-Free and Blini-Like!!!!!)

Ethiopian food is served on a big flat, spongy, crepe-like bread made from a fermented batter called Injera. It is delicious and it is traditionally made with Teff flour, which is gluten-free. Yay! However, most restaurants in North America cut the Teff flour with Wheat flour (cheaper and not gluten-free). Boo!

I tried the simplest recipe that I could find for pure Teff Injera (no gluten, no yeast, no sour dough starter, just one day of fermentation) and it was so good!!!!! It was not as spongy or sour as the stuff that I have been served in restaurants… it really seemed more like a blini….but I LOVE blinis…and it was so very easy to make!

We ate the bread with the Groundnuts and Greens Palaver with Black-Eyes recipe that Silvi posted last winter. This is a stew from a totally different part of Africa, but it tasted great with the bread! Also, if you are feeling sick (I was) this stew will make you well again.

This bread also makes me want to recreate this crazy blini, mushroom casserole that I used to order from this long gone Russian restaurant on East 86th street….hmmmmm. I will make that soon!

1 DAY GLUTEN FREE INJERA from yumuniverse.com

1 and 1/2 cup Teff flour
2 cup water
1/2 tsp baking powder
oil for the pan
1/4 tsp salt (I liked more salt myself)

Combine the water and the teff flour in a large clean bowl. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let it sit undisturbed on a counter for 24 hours.
After 24 hours it will have fermented a bit. Add 1/2 tsp baking powder and a bit of salt and stir to combine. It will deflate.
Heat a bit of oil in a very large skillet over medium heat.
Pour enough batter to thinly cover your entire skillet
Cover the skillet. I had to use a large cutting board because my wide skillet does not have a lid.
Let the bread steam, undisturbed for about 6 minutes. Check to see if it is done. It should be dry and the edges should begin to curl. Remove the finished injera to a warm dinner plate and repeat with the remaining batter!

Again, sorry for the lack of photos. I work during almost every hour of sunlight these days.