Ethiopia is one of the poorest nations in East Africa. But it has managed to survive many generations of chronic drought and food shortages to develop and preserve a unique culinary culture. Today, we bring you one of Ethiopia’s classic street foods – Injera…
The traditional Injera service: Tear off apiece of Teff bread and stuff with savouries of your
choice. More than just Lebanese Hummus and Tahini scooping. Not quite a Taco…
Injera is actually the Teff-flour flatbread used as base, scoop, wrap and whatever when serving Ethopia’s national dish, Yetsom Beyaynetu.
Yetsom Beyaynetu is a selection – sort of a mini buffet – of Spiced Red Lentils, Collard Greens, Chickpea Flour Stew, Spiced Veg and a Fiery Tomato Salad. It commonly comes with one of the country’s national stews – Doro Wat (Chicken), Sega Wat (Beef), or Shiro Wat (Chickpea).
What is Berbere?
It’s the traditional Ethiopian spice blend – their equivalent of Curry. And it comes in as many vari-ations strengths as India’s national ‘masala’. It’s characterized by its main constituents: chillies, garlic, ginger, fenugreek, cardamom, coriander, cumin and cloves.
Here’s a fresh opportunity to play with yet another authentic, exotic spice blend, and eventually come to a formula that’s all your own! If you decide to delve deeper into Ethiopian cuisine, you’ll want to get into the habit of making your own. It’s called for universally in this food culture!
‘Sourdough Flatbread’
That’s the best way to describe Injera in just a few words. It’s a fermented-batter pancake/flatbread that’s pan-fried to a spongy nut-brown. The top side of an Injera slab will remind you of the inside of an English Muffin.
It’s made from Teff flour. This ancient grain is still extremely popular in Ethiopia, as it thrives in the county’s dry, warm climate. But it is a low-yielding crop and must be grown with care and vigilance.
Teff is versatile, working well as a thickener in soups and sauces, and in porridge, pudding, baked goods, baked goods, breads and flatbreads, or as a rice substitute.
According to WebMD, Teff is, “Packed with nutrients, including lots of fiber, making it a great addition to your diet.” It’s also gluten-free. The nutrition breakdown includes protein, essential amino acids, and minerals – notably iron.
An expert weighs in…
‘Hermann’ is the pen name of Chef Julius – a meticulous cook and kitchen scientist who specializes in researching and replicating authentic international foods. ‘Hermann’ is also the name of a beloved German Friendship Cake that’s close to his heart. So… What better name for his website than ‘bakinghermann.com’?
Julius offers not only a detailed guide to making Injera (including a virtual master class in sourdough starter creation and maintenance), but a companion ‘essay’ on Yetsom Beyaynetu, complete with the lowdown on Berbere. They’re all linked above at the appropriate places.
My take
I’ve just discovered chef Julius this past week. But I’ll be following his international recipe treatises closely from now on. And you’ll be hearing more from him in this space at suitable intervals…
~ Maggie J.