Injera with Teff Flour

We sacrificed a lot when we moved to the farm.

Proximity to culture. Well. I shouldn’t say that. There’s plenty of culture around here…but fine dining is served on paper plates (for real) and the definition of art doesn’t move beyond the latest country music hit.

Friendships (although we know those can cross state lines)

Jobs

Sidewalks (great for running)

Cooler summers (Hi Heat!)

Ethnic cuisine

We can make new friends (or reconnect with old ones), find new jobs, run on narrow farm-to-market road shoulders, and swim in the lake during the dreadful heat.

But we can’t go out for Ethiopian food.

…not that the Omnivore ever really honored my (frequent) requests for this cuisine when we lived in a metropolitan area. So long ago, I learned to use my personal collection of spices to recreate the Ethiopian stews at home. And I tracked down a recipe for my one true love of Ethiopian food: the injera used to envelope the richly flavored stews. That recipe uses ingredients more easily come by in Small Town, USA (whole wheat flour and club soda).

But if you happen to stumble across a tub of teff flour, as I did in Atlanta one weekend, buy it up so that you can make this outstanding authentic version of injera. The batter is spiced with cumin and a spoonful of honey and alleviates any regrets I had about leaving my favorite Ethiopian restaurant in favor of Charlie’s Country Cooking (well, I haven’t actually eaten there, but you know…).

Injera (adapted from Vegeteraian Times)

Ingredients

Instructions

Whisk together flours, yest, and cumin. Sitr in water and cover bowl with kitchen towel. Let stand 12 to 24 hours. (Mixture may separate into layers. That’s okay.)

After resting time, stir in salt and honey. The batter should resemble pancake batter; add more water to thin, if necessary.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Pour 1/3 cup batter into the skillet, tiling to spread batter into a large round that’s thicker than a crepe but thinner than a pancake. Cover and cook 90 seconds or until injera is covered with tiny bubbles on top.

Loosen edges with a rubber spatula and transfer to a plate until time to serve. Serve warm.

Preparation time:

Cooking time: 5 minute(s)

Number of servings (yield): 6