Partial Ingredients

Everyday Style & Recipes. Est. 2010

Rye and Spelt Injera (Ethiopian Flat Bread)

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This post was a long time in the making as I have been thinking about and craving this Ethiopian flat bread for years, but never got around to making it until now! Injera is similar to Indian Dosas as it is cooked on a flat pan like a crepe. The bread is very sour and spongey, making it an accompaniment for all sorts of curries and stews. The bread is usually made with teff flour but I chose this recipe that uses a mixture of rye and spelt flours. Making sourdough is a neat process since you’re basically supporting a little cosmos in a bowl–full of fermenting bacteria and yeast. It does take several days to make the starter so as with most sourdough recipes it will require some patience.  It sounds gross, but there is definitely a method to the madness because sourdough is amazing in all forms. This bread was the perfect vehicle for the two Ethiopian dishes I planned for it, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!


Rye and Spelt Injera (Ethiopian Flat Bread)
(makes 6-8 injera)
Printable Version

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups lukewarm water
  • 1 small packet (about 2 tsp) active dry yeast
  • 1 cup rye flour
  • 1 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ cup spelt flour
  • 1 Tbsp baking powder
  • salt to taste

Directions:

  1. To make the sourdough starter, add the yeast to 2 cups all purpose flour in a large bowl.
  2. Slowly add 2 cups lukewarm water and stir until it forms a batter.    Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in a warm place for 3 days. Stir the starter once a day.
  3. Mix 1 1/2 cups of the starter, rye, spelt, and all purpose flour with 2 cups water. Stir and cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 2-3 days, stirring once each day.
  4. When the batter has fermented, the mixture will smell a bit sour.  To make the injera, add the baking powder, salt and stir well.
  5. Heat a pan, brush with oil and ladle some batter and spread it around the pan.
  6. Once the batter no longer appears wet and has bubbles formed in the dough, remove from pan at this time. Flip over and cook for a few seconds if necessary.