An authentic Injera recipe, the famous Ethiopian flatbread that makes the perfect accompaniment to a whole host of Ethiopian dishes, including Doro Wat, Sega Wat, Misir Wat, and Gomen!
If you’ve ever been to an Ethiopian restaurant – certainly if you’ve ever set foot in Ethiopia – you will have heard of injera. Â It’s a sourdough flatbread unlike any other sourdough. Â It starts out looking like a crepe but then develops a unique porous and slightly spongy texture. Â The thin batter is poured onto the cooking surface, traditionally a clay plate over a fire though now more commonly a specialized electric injera stove, and the bottom remains smooth while the top develops lots of pores which makes it ideal for scooping up stews and sauces.
And that’s exactly how injera is used, as an eating utensil. Â And as a plate. Â And often in place of the tablecloth. Â A variety of stews, vegetables and/or salads are placed on a large piece of injera and guests use their right hands to tear portions of the injera which are used for gripping the food. Â The porous texture of the injera makes it ideal for soaking up the juices.
Injera is traditionally made out of teff flour, the world’s tiniest grain and also one of the earliest domesticated plants having originated in Ethiopia and Eritrea (where injera is also widely consumed) between 4000 and 1000 BC. Â Its production is limited to only areas with adequate rainfall though so it’s relatively expensive for most African households. Â As such, many will replace some of the teff content with other flours like barley or wheat. Â For those who can afford it, injera made entirely of teff flour has the higher demand.
Injera is the traditional accompaniment to Doro Wat, Ethiopia’s famous spicy chicken stew, and together these constitute the national dish of Ethiopia.
Injera is likewise served with Sega Wat, the delicious beef version of Doro Wat.
There are different varieties of teff ranging from white/ivory to red to dark brown. Â In Ethiopia white is generally preferred and will also produce a 100% teff injera that is a lighter in color than what is shown in the first photo and preparation photos. Â I’m using 100% dark teff flour which produces a very dark injera with a deeper flavor.
The challenge is that if you’re looking for a specific type of teff and like to grind your own grains, most manufacturers don’t differentiate the teff type on their package labeling.  It’s mostly an aesthetic preference though and for most baking I do with teff it really doesn’t matter either way.  With the injera it will make a difference in the color though if that’s an important factor to you.
I have found only one brand that differentiates the types: Â Ivory Teff and Brown Teff. Â Maskal also makes an ivory teff flour.
Traditionally a clay plate, a mitad, placed over a fire is used for making injera.
A special woven basket, called a mesab, in which the freshly made injera are placed.
More commonly now specialized electric injera stoves are used. Â The most popular one in the U.S. is called the Heritage Grill. Â But unless you’re making injera constantly, a simple non-stick pan on the stovetop will do the job.
Read to make some injera?
And I don’t mean short-cut, one-day, cutting corners injera. Â I mean the real deal, authentic injera.
Authentic Injera Recipe
Let’s get started!
***IMPORTANT NOTE before we begin: Both the texture and color of the injera will vary greatly depending on what kind of teff you use (dark or ivory) and whether or not you’re combining it with other flours. Gluten-based flours (e.g. wheat and barley) will yield a much different texture than 100% teff. In the pictures and recipe below I’m using 100% dark teff, something you will not find in restaurants and will look different than what most are accustomed to, but is traditional to Ethiopian home cooking.
You can buy pre-ground teff flour or grind your own. Â I like to grind my own grains because 1) the flour has far more nutrition because it’s fresher and the oils haven’t oxidized and 2) I have more control over the texture of the flour.
I use and LOVE the German-made KoMo Classic Grain Mill. Â It comes with a 15-year warranty. Â It’s a stone-grinding mill and you can grind grains as finely or as coarsely as you like. Â It’s an awesome piece of machinery and it’s just downright gorgeous!
You’ll need 2 cups of flour. Â I’m using all teff flour, and mine happens to be dark teff flour which will produce a very dark injera with a deeper flavor.
As mentioned above, using 100% teff flour is traditionally considered the most desirable (it also happens to be naturally gluten-free), but you can substitute part of it with other flours such as wheat or barley.
However, if you’re new to making injera I recommend substituting a portion of teff with barley or wheat flour as 100% is more challenging to work with.
Stir in 3 cups of distilled water (and the yeast if you’re using it).
I made two versions to show you the difference – both are identical but in one of them I added some commercial yeast (left) and the other one I didn’t (right). Â What that does is prevent the formation of wild yeast because the commercial, store-bought yeast dominates.
Loosely cover the bowls with plastic wrap so that air can still get in (but no critters can) – cheesecloth is also a great option. Â Let it sit undisturbed at room temperature for 5 days. Â You don’t have to let it ferment that long but at least 4 days is ideal and longer it ferments the deeper the flavor will be.
Note: Depending on what kind of flour you’re using, you may need to add a little more water if the mixture is becoming dry.
After 4-5 days both versions will be fizzy when you jiggle the bowl.
Notice the difference between the mixture prepared with commercial yeast (left) and the wild yeast mixture (right).  The version made the traditional way allowing wild yeast to form is not only much darker in color, it has a film of aerobic yeast on top that you may initially think is mold but it isn’t. If your batter forms actual mold on it it will need to be discarded.
It looks disgusting, I know – like why would I eat this?  But rest assured it’s perfectly normal.  That isn’t mold, it’s aerobic yeast caused by the fermentation process. Going the traditional route of relying on wild yeast – a naturally fermented product – over commercial yeast results in an injera with a richer and more complex flavor.  It’s the way injera has been made and enjoyed for centuries. Again though, if your batter forms actual mold on it, it will need to be discarded.
We’re simply going to discard this top layer and use what’s underneath.
Pour off the top layer and as much of the liquid as you can.
You’ll be left with a clay-like batter. Â Give it a good stir.
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Â Scoop 1/2 cup of the fermented teff batter and stir it into the boiling water until the mixture is thickened. Â This will happen pretty quickly.
Stir the cooked/thickened batter back into the original mixture.
Add some water to the batter to create roughly the consistency of crepe batter. Â I added about 2/3 cup of water though this will vary from batch to batch. Â The batter will have a sweet-soured nutty smell.
Heat a non-stick pan on medium. Â Depending on how good your non-stick surface is, you may need to very lightly spray it with some oil.
Coat the surface of the pan with a thin layer of injera batter. Â It should be thicker than making a crepe but not as thick as a pancake.
Continue to cook – bubbles will form, allow them to pop. Â Then cover the pan with a lid and turn off the heat to let it steam cook for a couple more minutes or so until cooked through. Â Be careful though, if you the injera cooks too long it will become gummy and soggy.
Remove the injera and repeat.
Enjoy!
Serve your homemade injera with our authentic Ethiopian:
Authentic Injera (Ethiopian Flatbread)
Ingredients
- 2 cups teff flour, brown or ivory , or substitute a portion of it with some barley or wheat flour
- Note: If you're new to making injera I recommend using a combination of teff and barley or wheat as 100% teff is more challenging to work with.
- 3 cups distilled water (fluoride and chlorine will both interfere with the fermentation process)
- Note: This method involves wild yeast fermentation. See blog post for details about using commercial yeast as a starter (you'll use about 1/4 teaspoon dry active yeast)
Instructions
- *See blog post for detailed instructions*NOTE: Using mostly or all teff (which is the traditional Ethiopian way) will NOT produce the spongy, fluffy injera served in most restaurants which are adapted to the western palate and use mostly wheat, sometimes a little barley, and occasionally a little teff added in.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and water (and yeast if you're using it). Loosely place some plastic wrap on the bowl (it needs some air circulation, you just want to keep any critters out) and let the mixture sit undisturbed at room temperature for 4-5 days (the longer it ferments, the deeper the flavor). (Depending on what kind of flour you're using, you may need to add a little more water if the mixture is becoming dry.) The mixture will be fizzy, the color will be very dark and, depending on the humidity, a layer of aerobic yeast will have formed on the top. (Aerobic yeast is a normal result of fermentation. If however your batter forms mold on it, it will need to be discarded.) Pour off the aerobic yeast and as much of the liquid as possible. A clay-like batter will remain. Give it a good stir.
- In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Stir in 1/2 cup of the injera batter, whisking constantly until it is thickened. This will happen pretty quickly. Then stir the cooked/thickened batter back into the original fermented batter. Add some water to the batter to thin it out to the consistency of crepe batter. I added about 2/3 cup water but this will vary from batch to batch. The batter will have a sweet-soured nutty smell.
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Depending on how good your non-stick pan is, you may need to very lightly spray it with some oil. Spread the bottom of the skillet with the injera batter - not as thin as crepes but not as thick as traditional pancakes. Allow the injera to bubble and let the bubbles pop. Once the bubbles have popped, place a lid on top of the pan and turn off the heat. Let the injera steam cook for a couple or so more minutes until cooked through. Be careful not to overcook the injera or they will become gummy and soggy. Remove the injera with a spatula and repeat.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: Both the texture and color of the injera will vary greatly depending on what kind of teff you use (dark or ivory) and whether or not you're combining it with other flours. Gluten-based flours (e.g. wheat and barley) will yield a much different texture than 100% teff. In the pictures and recipe below I'm using 100% dark teff, something you will not find in restaurants and will look different than what most are accustomed to, but is traditional to Ethiopian home cooking. Make your injera according to what you prefer.
Nutrition
Images of serving platter and woman cooking courtesy Maurice Chédel and Rob Waddington via CC licensing
Always on the lookout for new things says
I have tried this but I used 2 tbsp of teff sourdough starter when I mixed it before putting it it rest for a few days. The flour sank to the bottom and the liquid on top was really bubbly. It seems to be helpful to clean off the sides with water before putting it to rest so the mouldy top is less likely to form as everything is under the water. I tend to leave mine 3 days as I think that is the taste my family likes best.
Edith Sweetwater says
Thanks so much. This recipe rocks. It is truly daring to play with real food which actually benefits our bodies. Every day I learn more about making food my medicine and medicine my food. Since I have made many different kinds of pancake-like foods over the years, I knew that it would take some time to figure out the heat on the griddle/frying pan. I found it worked for me to start with a fairly hot griddle and lower it to medium-low. It was surprising to note the heat the teff could tolerate…. many non-wheat flours have to be babied at fairly low temps. It was also surprising how long it took to cook… and that it could continue cooking without scorching. So many pancake like things are lickety-split – in and out of the pan.
Thanks again,
Edith
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, Edith, and thanks so much for sharing those tips and insights!
Anonymous says
I would love to try this, how long does it keep once it’s been cooked? Or can it be stored without going bad?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It’s best served fresh but it will keep for a couple of days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Jess says
Hi there! I’m a massive fan of Ethiopian food so was excited to find your recipe :) however I really can’t get this bread to work. I’ve got the bubbles going except the bread doesn’t seem to thicken and stays quite mushy. I cooked it on medium heat and then turn it off using the lid on the pan yet it still doesn’t come out right with a rather crisp bottom and mushy top. Any recommendations as to how I could improve this?
Thanks! Xx
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jess, in Step 2 are you pouring off as much liquid as possible? And in Step 3 is the batter thickening up really well? I’m wondering if your batter is too liquidy. Another thing you can try is putting on the lid earlier on to help cook the top.
Jess says
Thanks for your fast response Kimberly :)
I thought I was but perhaps not!
When I previously tried thickening the mix but then didn’t get any bubbles at all.
All good, I’ll keep trialling and erroring! Thanks for your help x
Hugh says
Hi Kimberly, I’m fascinated to give this a go having fallen for injera two days ago. Have you tried the recipe without the cooking part? You mentioned it improves the texture but I can only imagine this would knock out some of the air bubbles out of it..
Would gently stirring the mixture once/twice a day be advisable to avoid the mold appearing at all? Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Hugh, I haven’t tried that and all the traditional recipes I’ve seen thicken it first. It will probably be too runny without that step resulting in super thin injera. It’s certainly worth a try though, let us know if you do! The stuff that develops on top of the fermenting batter is known as aerobic yeast, it isn’t mold at all and is perfectly safe – a very natural and expected part of the fermentation process.
Luke Howard says
Where exactly is the detail regarding using commercial yeast? The recipe says to “see blog post” but the blog post only shows the two bowls, one with commercial yeast and one with wild yeast. If I’m using 2 cups of teff flour and 3 cups of water, how much commercial yeast do I use? Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Luke, thanks for catching that. You’ll use just about 1/4 teaspoon of it to jumpstart the fermentation process.
Luke Howard says
Thanks! I’ll have to report back and let you know how this turns out!
Luke Howard says
Also, do you just add the yeast into the water/flour mixture? Or is there a specific order in which the yeast has to be added? For example, should I let it dissolve in the water first then mix the yeast+water mixture into the flour? Does this even matter? Any information would be appreciated!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Luke, it doesn’t matter – you can just add it in last and give it a little stir in the water.
Katie says
Hello,
How many servings does this recipe make? Thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Katie, it depends on what size you make them, but this makes roughly 6 servings.
Christopher Paul says
OK so after 24 hours the dough has risen to 4 times its original size! Its to a point where I’ve had to transfer it to a larger bowl. It smells kinda like ball point pen ink (not particularly pleasant or yeasty). Is this normal? Will can i expect the dough to stop rising?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Christopher, I’ve never heard of injera batter rising like that before and don’t see how that’s even possible with the high water ratio. Are you using something other than teff flour? Did you add commercial yeast to the mix?
Dianne says
mine also rose with no liquid on top but liquidy underneath when I scraped it out. I did not add anything to the recipe. Maybe I have a really yeasty house? LOL
Anonymous says
Thanks Kimberly for the recipe. After 5 days, there is mould liquid on top, but the batter is not clay-like. It was liquidy. Did I do something wrong?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
It won’t be firm like clay, it will still be pretty liquidy and will be that way until you thicken the batter. Follow the process of thickening up the batter and trying making the injera – let us know how it goes.
Ariel says
Hello, I followed all the instructions but my injera is literally just drying out and not a single bubble when it is time to cook it. I have tried adding more water at the lowest heat setting and still no luck. I am using a non stick pan on electric coil burner. Any suggestions?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ariel, the absence of bubbles suggests that the batter didn’t ferment properly – either the bacteria cultures never grew in the first place or something happened later on that killed them. Was your batter bubbling and fizzing up until the time you cooked it?
Anonymous says
Thank you for the quick reply. I will try again but with active yeast. It smelled like it fermented just fine since my house smelled like a brewery! haha
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
After a few days the liquid should start fizzing when you jiggle the bowl, similar to carbonation. That’s the sign of active cultures.
Marlaine Glicksman says
Your injera looks amazing, and I’m eager to try this recipe. But might I ask the purpose of adding the batter to the boiling water? (It would seem to kill the wild yeast?) It’s not a step I’ve seen my Ethiopian family use. Though I admit to not having great results when I’ve attempted to replicate their injera-making. Many thanks!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Marlaine, it thickens the batter and improves the texture of injera. As for killing the wild yeast, that’s going to happen as soon as you cook the injera anyway. But the purpose/benefit of fermenting the batter is that it vastly improves digestibility and your body’s ability to utilize the nutrients.
Brenna says
Hello, I tried this recipe 2 times so far and after 48 hours the mix had a really strong yeasty smell with lots of bubbles. However I was confused because the recipe says 4-5 days, but after leaving it longer (even 12 hours longer) the bubbles go down and there are patches of white fuzzy mold everywhere and the overall smell has changed from yeasty to alcohol with vanilla. Is it better to just cook it before the mysterious mold phase?
Thanks for this exciting recipe!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Brenna, the stuff that looks like white fuzzy mold is normal and expected. And yes, changes in appearance and smell will take place throughout the fermentation process. If you make the injera too soon before it’s had a sufficient time to ferment it won’t develop the tiny holes throughout that is the bread’s hallmark and it also won’t have the same depth of flavor.
Gretchen says
I just made my first attempt yesterday. How do you keep your starter going? I’m thinking of making injera weekly. Should I refrigerate the starter then? Or keep it on the counter? Do I repeat the boiling of the starter process each time I make injera?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Gretchen, that’s a great question. I haven’t kept a starter going, I’ve just made a new batch each time.
Ken says
I’d really like to know this also.
Shout out to anyone who might know the answer, please.
Kathryn McMorrow says
I couldn’t claim any authority on the subject of inerja, but why couldn’t one remove and reserve a small amount of the fermented teff mixture to store in the refrigerator like any other starter, but I would do that before the step of adding the ‘partially cooked, thickening portion’ back into the inerja batter. Then, when one desires to make another batch of inerja, just add the starter to fresh teff flour and water and wait until it re-ferments. Why not? It should work just like any other sourdough starter, methinks.
Melissa Lewis says
Put starter in fridge
Wanda says
I made this recipe today. I paired it with a Lebanese lamb stew and mixed salad. The flavor of the injera was the perfect complement to the stew. I did not want the injera to have a flavor too strong, so I fermented it for 2 1/2 days. The smell was a bit strong but not unpleasant. This recipe is DEFINITELY a keeper. Next time I will ferment it for 3 days and I will keep increasing the time until I reach the point where I say: Ok, that’s it! I love Middle East and African cuisine. This bread is the perfect complement for the many stews they have. Thanks for sharing your knowledge! You can count me as one of your followers from now on!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful! Thanks so much, Wanda, I appreciate that! :) Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter so you’re notified when new recipes are published.
Nathan Lombough says
I’ve made this twice already and love it. I’ve had injera in Ethiopia and in several Ethiopian restaurants. This recipe is a keeper. And I personally like the really dark injera that you feature here made from 100% brown teff. It has such a rich, deep flavor. Love your blog, keep up the good work.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, thanks so much, Nathan!