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Cooking Injera in Ethiopia

Hawa Yesuf cooks injera over a traditional oven built for the purpose in her house in the Fontanina area near Kombulcha, Ethiopia.

Injera is a yeast-risen flat bread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. It is traditionally made out of teff flour. It is traditionally eaten in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The batter is usually mixed several days in advance and allowed to "ferment", using the residual yeasts in the storage bucket to add leavening.

Cooking is fast, with the batter being poured on in a circular motion from the outside spiraling inwards. The a cover is put over it allowing the rising steam to contribute to the cooking. In only a couple of minutes the bread is done and gently slid onto a mat to transfer to a basket for cooling. Many of the injera are cooked at one time and stored for several days consumption.

Stews, spices, meats and vegetables are served on the injera, which serves to absorb the juices. Pieces are used to pick up the food, so that the injera serves as untensil, and tablecloth, all of which is eaten.

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Hawa Yesuf cooks injera over a traditional oven built for the purpose in her house in the Fontanina area near Kombulcha, Ethiopia. <br />
<br />
Injera is a yeast-risen flat bread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. It is traditionally made out of teff flour. It is traditionally eaten in Ethiopia and Eritrea. The batter is usually mixed several days in advance and allowed to "ferment", using the residual yeasts in the storage bucket to add leavening. <br />
<br />
Cooking is fast, with the batter being poured on in a circular motion from the outside spiraling inwards. The a cover is put over it allowing the rising steam to contribute to the cooking. In only a couple of minutes the bread is done and gently slid onto a mat to transfer to a basket for cooling. Many of the injera are cooked at one time and stored for several days consumption. <br />
<br />
Stews, spices, meats and vegetables are served on the injera, which serves to absorb the juices. Pieces are used to pick up the food, so that the injera serves as untensil, and tablecloth, all of which is eaten.