Injera
From Free net encyclopedia
Injera (እንጀራ) or Enjera (incorrectly Injura) is a pancake-like bread made out of teff flour. It is traditionally eaten in Ethiopia, Somalia (where it is also called lahoh) and Eritrea. The flour is mixed with water and allowed to ferment for a few days. It is then ready to fry into large flat pancakes, done either on a specialised electric stove or fire. A variety of stews, and sometimes salad, are placed upon the injera for serving. Using one's right hand, small pieces of injera are torn and used to grasp the stews and salads for eating. Injera is thus simultaneously food, utensil, and plate.
The most valued grain used to make injera is from the tiny, iron-rich grain teff. However, its production is limited to certain middle altitudes and adequate rainfall regimes, and so it is relatively expensive for the average household. Since the overwhelming majority of highland Ethiopians are poor farming households, they must grow their own subsistence grain. Hence, grains such as barley and corn are often mixed with teff, or used in place of teff. There are also different varieties of injera, such as nech (white) and tikur (black).
Outside of the Ethiopian Plateau, injera may be found in groceries and restaurants specializing in Ethiopian, Somali or Eritrean foods. Often, this injera is made using a smaller amount of teff than normal, as teff is harder to come by in many places. Wheat, barley, and/or rice flour are added to the mixture to make up the difference. Most would agree that this is done at the expense of flavor.