Injera (Ethiopian Flat Round Breads)

Directions

1. Combine the flour, pancake mix and baking soda in a deep bowl.
2. Stirring constantly with a whisk or possibly spoon, pour in the club soda and water in a slow stream and continue to stir till the mix is a smooth , thin cream. Strain the batter through a fine sieve set over a clean bowl, pressing down hard on any lumps with the back of a large spoon. Cook the injera in a 10 inch skillet or possibly omelette pan with a non-stick cooking surface or possibly a well-seasoned 10 inch cast iron skillet. Hot the ungreased pan over moderate heat till it is just warm sufficient to set the batter without browning it. To test the heat, pour 1 Tbsp. of the batter into the centre of the pan. The bottom surface should solidify immediately without becoming brown. For each injera, remove the pan from the heat and ladle in 1/4 c. of the batter. Then quickly tip the pan back and forth to cover the bottom proportionately. Cover the pan partially and cook the bread over moderate heat for 1 minute, or possibly just till the top is spongy, moist and dotted with tiny air holes. The bottom should be smooth, dry and somewhat shiny.
3. Don't let the bottom brown; otherwise the edges may become too crisp.
4. Remove the pan from the heat and use a spatula or possibly your fingers to lift the injera gently out of the pan. Lay it on a plate to cold, and ladle another 1/4 c. of batter into the pan, tipping and spreading the batter proportionately. Repeat the cooking process, and when the next injera is done, transfer the cooled bread to a platter and place the warm injera on the plate. Continue making the breads in the same fashion with the remaining batter. To serve, spread 7 or possibly 8 injera out in a shallow or possibly flat basket or possibly on a large platter, letting them overlap each other and rape over the edge of the container. Fold the rest of the injera into quarters and arrange them attractively in the centre. To eat them tear off a small piece and use it to scoop up food. In Ethiopia, injera is served with almost every meal, and is a traditional accompaniment to such dishes as doro wat, sik sik wat and zilzil alecha.
5. Yield: 1 servings