When I make the injera, I've learned how to get it nice and thin with the bubbles of air that make it close to authentic. You pour the batter onto a frying pan or griddle in a circle and then cover it with a pot lid that will allow steam to move around it. You do NOT want to flip it. Just check it every minute or so- it only takes a couple of minutes to cook- and take it off when the middle looks cooked through (not gooey). After I take it off the griddle I put it on a towel to cool. Then I stack it and wrap stacks of about 10 pieces in foil. It takes a couple of hours to make enough for our family so I usually make it the day before we plan to eat it and put it in the fridge. As long as it's completely wrapped in foil it will warm nicely in the oven (if it's not wrapped well it will get dried out)
Four years ago today Valentine's Day took on a whole new meaning for our family. It was the day that Pete and I went before a judge in Ethiopia committing to be Teshome's parents and waiting for the judge's approval. Later that afternoon we celebrated the judge's positive judgement and the fact that we had a new son! Since then, we've enjoyed the tradition of eating Ethiopian food to remember that special day. Some years we've gone out, but mostly we make injera and various stews at home. After several years of making it, I've found the recipe and method that works best for us. And it is Teshome approved which is the best test to pass! I'll admit it isn't as good or authentic as what we get when we go out for Ethiopian, but it is good and we've served it to many guests. I use the recipe from Marcus Samuelsson's cookbook, The Soul of a New Cuisine, A Discovery of the Foods and Flavors of Africa. It's kind of a "cheater" version that uses club soda and yogurt to get the sour dough effect without actually going through the time and work of fermenting. However, I do add more club soda to it because otherwise it turns out way too thick. In case you're not familiar with Ethiopian food, it consists of a sort of spongy, sour dough flat bread made with teff flour that you use to pick up stews with. Our favorite stews are Doro Wat (a chicken stew), Tibbs (a spicy steak), and red lentils. When I make the injera, I've learned how to get it nice and thin with the bubbles of air that make it close to authentic. You pour the batter onto a frying pan or griddle in a circle and then cover it with a pot lid that will allow steam to move around it. You do NOT want to flip it. Just check it every minute or so- it only takes a couple of minutes to cook- and take it off when the middle looks cooked through (not gooey). After I take it off the griddle I put it on a towel to cool. Then I stack it and wrap stacks of about 10 pieces in foil. It takes a couple of hours to make enough for our family so I usually make it the day before we plan to eat it and put it in the fridge. As long as it's completely wrapped in foil it will warm nicely in the oven (if it's not wrapped well it will get dried out)
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December 2017
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