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WonderFermented food fact

Injera is the soft, spongy flatbread of Ethiopia and Eritrea, made from a fermented batter, traditionally of teff flour. It is cooked on one side only, so bubbles rise and burst into a surface of tiny holes known as 'eyes'.

Injera

FoodCultureScience

The story behind the card

Teff, native to the Ethiopian highlands, is one of the smallest cereal grains in the world; injera is also made with other grains or mixtures. The batter is left to ferment for a few days, often with a little starter kept from the last batch, which makes it slightly sour and full of gas. It is then poured in a spiral onto a large clay griddle called a mitad. At the table, a large injera covers a shared tray and stews are served on top; diners tear off pieces to scoop up the food, and the injera underneath, soaked in sauce, is eaten last. Placing a morsel in a companion's mouth, called gursha, is a sign of affection and respect.

Türkçe oku
İnjera, Etiyopya ve Eritre'nin yumuşak, süngerimsi yassı ekmeğidir; geleneksel olarak teff unundan yapılan mayalı bir hamurdan pişirilir. Yalnızca tek yüzü pişirildiği için hamurdaki kabarcıklar yüzeye çıkıp patlar ve “göz” denen minik deliklerle kaplı bir yüzey oluşur.

Etiyopya yaylalarına özgü teff, dünyanın en küçük taneli tahıllarından biridir; injera başka tahıllarla ya da karışımlarla da yapılır. Hamur, çoğu zaman bir önceki seferden saklanan biraz mayayla birkaç gün bekletilir; böylece hafifçe ekşir ve gazla dolar. Ardından mitad denen, kilden yapılmış büyük bir sacın üzerine spiral çizerek dökülür. Sofrada büyük bir injera ortak tepsiyi kaplar, yemekler üzerine konur. Herkes bir parça koparıp yemeği onunla alır; sosu emen alttaki injera en sona kalır. Sofradaki birinin ağzına bir lokma uzatmaya gursha denir; sevgi ve saygı göstergesidir.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Injera
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