Quick Injera
(Ethiopian sourdough crepe)
Image by edseloh
For those craving Ethiopian food, but short on time, this shortcut recipe approximates true injera, which is a sourdough crepe made from a fermented sourdough batter.
Most quick recipes don't call for the lemon juice, but I find it necessary to supply the essential sour flavor that real injera adds to a meal.
6 to 8 crepes
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour -- 1 1/2 cups
- Whole wheat flour -- 1/2 cup
- Baking powder -- 1 tablespoon
- Salt -- 1/2 teaspoon
- Club soda -- 2 to 2 1/2 cups
- Lemons, juice only -- 2 each
Method
- Preheat a large cast-iron skillet over a medium flame. Mix the all-purpose flour, whole-wheat flour, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the club soda and mix to a smooth batter. It should have the thin consistency of a pancake batter.
- Wipe the skillet with a little oil using a paper towel. Ladle about 1/2 cup of the batter into the skillet and spread it with a spatula to make a large crepe. Let bake in the skillet until all the bubbles on top burst and begin to dry out, about 2 or 3 minutes.
- Carefully turn the injera over and cook on second side another minute or two. Try not to brown it too much.
- Remove the injera to a warm platter and repeat with the rest of the batter, wiping the skillet clean with an oiled paper towel each time.
- After the batter is used up, use a pastry brush to brush each injera with the lemon juice. Serve immediately or hold covered in a warm oven.
Quick Injera Variations
- You can substitute buckwheat flour for the whole wheat flour if you like, or just use all white flour. If you can find teff flour at a health food store, by all means use it.
