Injera (Ethiopian Sourdough Flatbread)

About This Recipe

Injera is Ethiopia and Eritrea's beloved national bread — a pale, soft, spongy sourdough flatbread made from teff, a tiny ancient grain native to the Horn of Africa. The batter ferments for three days, developing the distinct sour funk that makes injera unmistakable. Cooked on a wide clay or steel mitad in a single thin pour, the surface erupts with thousands of tiny bubbles — eyes, in Amharic — that capture the saucy stews (wats) ladled on top. Injera is plate, fork, and starch all at once: you tear off pieces, scoop with them, and finally eat the soaking bread itself. Real teff injera takes patience, but even a 50/50 teff-and-wheat-flour home version is a revelation.

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 400 gteff flour (ivory or brown)
• 150 gall-purpose flour (optional, for ease)
• 1.2 Lwarm water (for the batter)
• 1 tspsalt
• a few tbsp of leftover injera batter from a previous batch (starter, optional but excellent)
• neutral oil for wiping the pan

Instructions

1. 1

   Mix the batter

   In a large glass bowl, whisk teff flour, all-purpose flour (if using), and 900 ml of the warm water into a smooth pancake-batter consistency. Stir in any starter from a previous batch. Cover loosely with cloth.

2. 2

   Ferment 2–3 days

   Leave at room temperature 48–72 hours. The batter will rise, bubble, and develop a thin layer of yellow-grey liquid on top. It should smell pleasantly sour, like sourdough — not sharp or rotten.

3. 3

   Cook the absit

   Pour off and reserve the top liquid. Take 250 ml of the fermented batter, whisk it with 250 ml of hot water in a saucepan, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, for 4 minutes until thick and gluey. Cool 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Combine and rest

   Whisk the cooled absit back into the main batter along with the reserved liquid and the salt. Add a little extra warm water if needed — the batter should be slightly thinner than crepe batter. Rest 30 minutes; it should look very bubbly on top.

5. 5

   Heat the pan

   Heat a 28 cm nonstick or seasoned crepe pan over medium heat. Wipe lightly with oil only once, at the start.

6. 6

   Pour and swirl

   Pour 150 ml of batter in a spiral from the outside in, then quickly tilt the pan to coat — the batter should not pool. Do not swirl after pouring; injera is poured, not spread like crepe.

7. 7

   Cover and steam

   Within 30 seconds, the surface will erupt with countless tiny eyes. Cover the pan and cook 1.5–2 minutes, until the surface is dry, the eyes are set, and the edges lift. Do not flip — injera is cooked on one side only.

8. 8

   Lift and stack

   Slide onto a clean towel-lined surface. Cover with another towel. Continue with remaining batter, allowing the pan to recover heat between each. Stack injera as you go.

9. 9

   Serve

   Lay one or two injera as the 'plate' and ladle wats (lentil, beef, vegetable stews) on top. Serve extra rolled injera on the side for scooping.

Variations

• •

  100% teff (traditional, gluten-free): ferment 3 full days; trickier handling but the real thing.

• •

  Quick injera: replace fermentation with 1 tsp baking soda + 1 tbsp lemon juice — texture works, flavor is flatter.

• •

  Add sorghum flour for a slightly nuttier, more rustic version.

Storage

Best the day made. Wrap in cling film once cool and refrigerate up to 3 days, or freeze 1 month. Re-steam over simmering water for 1 minute to revive.

Frequently Asked Questions