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
Cher says
Hi Kimberly, and anyone who is reading this: my injera batter fermented beautifully, and i followed through the steps, but it’s sticking to the pan. Any tips on what should i do? i tried turning up the heat, but then the top seems to crack. Tastes great otherwise!
S. Gante says
This is my first attempt at making any flatbread at all. Just happened to be given a bag of dark teff grain. Didn’t really turn out as I expected and it may be a combination of things. I attempted to make flour by grinding grain in coffee mill. There was no liquid to pour off after fermenting 3 days. The griddle may not have been hot enough as bubbles did not form uniformly and mixture stuck to pan slightly. Would love to be able to try again but not sure what to change.
Terry says
Would it make sense to “seed” the dough at the start with a teaspoon or so of the sourdough starter I maintain for traditional sourdough bread?
Glenn T Bowman says
Mine came out kind of rubbery, not spongy. No bubbles to speak of. First time I tried it nearly gagged. I never had these before so didnt know what to expect. I put the completed injera’s in the fridge and forgot about them for a few days. Couple days later, I was craving a taste and now I have found that I love them.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Going from gagging to loving is quite a turnaround, Glenn, LOL! I’m glad they won you over in the end. They take practice and you’ll find the more you make them the better they’ll become as you fine-tune the process.
Georgie Winter says
These are great instruction and I have made injera successfully several times. However, I have made one change that has contributed to that success. After the five days, when I take out the small portion of batter and mix it with boiling water, I let it cool before mixing back into the original batter. And then I let it set for another 24 hours before cooking. Lots of bubbles form. I add water to thin… My grill pan is the one you recommend, and after the injera is covered I watch the level of steam escaping from under the lid. I am almost at the point that I can smell when it is done, but not yet 100%. I still have to take off the lid and check.
I do always use filtered water. I can get brown teff flour locally but not ivory. I ordered ivory teff on the internet and am going to grind it into flour myself in order to taste the difference. The only batch of injera I’ve made that did not turn out was with water from the faucet.
Thanks so much for posting your excellent directions.
Please forgive if someone has already made these suggestions. I am addicted to this bread.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Georgie, I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed several successful batches! I really appreciate your detailed feedback and insights. I haven’t tried letting the mixture cool and then sit for another 24 hours and am curious to do a test comparison. What have you noticed as the major differences between the original method and following the cooling/additional 24 hour method? Thanks again!
Teri Watkins says
Hi there. I was so excited to try the recipe to go with other Ethiopian recipes I currently make. I ordered Ivory Teff flour on Amazon (nowhere else to get it where I live), then followed the recipe exactly. After 5 days of fermentation, my results were like your pictures. However, when I started slowly pouring the water off, there was nothing underneath – no batter. So I stopped pouring, then continued with the recipe. After adding the cooked batter back in it thickened nicely and I was again hopeful. I poured a thin layer in the preheated non-stick skillet and got a few bubbles. I covered the skillet with a lid for a couple minutes, lifted the lid, and there were only a few more bubbles and the edge was thin, dry, and cracked. I put the lid back on but it just wouldn’t cook anymore. I removed it and it was gummy and raw in the middle. I tried again with same results. I then tried the same recipe but substituting 1/2 c teff with 1/2 c all-purpose flour and had to throw out this batch too (same results as above). What could I be doing wrong? I really want it to be successful, but a whole bag of teff flour down the drain (literally) is very discouraging.
Ryder FitzGerald says
I’m starting a batch of this right now. I’ll let you know how it comes out. Just one question, your recipe (and some others I’ve seen) says “100% (teff) is more challenging to work with.”. In what way? More difficult to ferment? More difficult to cook? ???
Thanks for any help with this.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Ryder, more difficult to cook, it’s finicky. The texture is also different than a lot of the injera you’ll find in restaurants which tend to cater to Western palates.
Ryder FitzGerald says
Thanks for the very prompt response!
Martina says
Many thanks, finally injera recipe that worked (kind of), after 2 unsuccessful attempts. I’ll try shorter fermentation next time – it was a hot week in Singapore so I guess it fermented too much because the taste is a bit too sour.
I made one change though. After day 1 I noticed that there’s “crust” on top, as somebody else mentioned here. I added water (roughly 3/4 cup). I looked next day and it then looked like on your picture – water on top. Maybe my flour (Bob’s Red Mill dark teff flour) requires more water?
There was yeasty smell all 5 days, and it became really strong when I was cooking batter according to step 3. Even our neighbours came to ask what is happening. At that point I was ready to throw away the whole batch, but we opened the balcony and I tried making a few “pancakes” anyway. Except for the sour taste it worked nicely, and so far no tummy issues. Thanks again!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
I’m glad it was a success, Martina, thanks for the feedback! It may be that there is a difference between brands. And it’s likely that freshly ground teff flour absorbs water at a different rate than already-ground store-bought teff flour. Some flexibility of adjustments along the way are definitely required and you made the right call in adding a little more water. Yes, the length of fermentation time really comes down to personal preference more than anything. Most Western palates aren’t used to the depth of fermentation traditional injera goes through and it can be off-putting to many. And there’s nothing wrong with that, we simply adjust it to what we’re comfortable with. Thanks again for the feedback and I’m happy to hear your stomach hasn’t rebelled :)
susan wing says
Just made it in a paella pan over dying coals. Perfect
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That’s fantastic, Susan, thanks for the feedback!
Pink Jeep Laura Lee says
My experience is like Steve Bruhm’s above. I live in Sedona AZ where it’s monsoon season now. First day it bubbled up so high and wasn’t under water but the rubber banned paper towel kept it from overflowing I transferred it to another larger mason jar and didn’t stir it but just once a day and even fed it more Teff and water. It looked like it just died. I initially used a crackled dried starter an Ethiopian restauranteur in Denver gave me two years ago. Third day the dough sat on bottom of jar and the liquid separated out from it. It stunk so bad. I chucked it and will try again today using rain water, bottles water and all Teff. I’ll stir it twice a day and won’t feed it. Pray for me.
Michael says
I made a batch, let it ferment for 4 days, and it looks like the pictures. My issue is when I put the batter on the hot pan, it doesn’t bubble. Instead the top turns a lighter color and appears to harden. It started to smell toasted. When I scraped it out of the pan, I noticed the bottom was still moist, though.
Any ideas what I’m doing wrong? Thanks for your help!
Anonymous says
I have the same problem. ALSO MY MIxture smells more like lemons than yeast.
Dawn says
Hi! I used your injera recipe to make an Ethiopian Father’s Day dinner for my husband (doro wat and injera is his favorite meal, and we live in a city now with no Ethiopian restaurants…grr). I usually make lazy injera with wheat flour and club soda, but I wanted to try authentic this time. The flavor was fantastic, but all of my injera fell apart during transfer from pan to plate! I used half teff and half white whole wheat and had it fermenting with storebought yeast for about 36 hours. I want to try it again–because I’m not going to let this recipe beat me! :) Do you have a really huge spatula? I just couldn’t get it off the pan without ripping! What’s the secret?
Mandy A says
Hi, thanks so much for this recipe! I’ve wanted to try making the ‘real deal’ injera for a very long time. My first attempt with a 5-day ferment went moldy, and I started over. Three days into it (it is summer, after all) seemed just right. I followed your instructions, and trying the 100% teff version, but am having trouble getting the cakes not to crack, and not to get gooey inside. I can’t get them to be fully cooked but not gooey. So I ended up cooking each one for like 20 minutes! Do you have any suggestions for trying to avoid this? It does seem like a steep learning curve, which I can appreciate. :)
BTW, I paired it with a lamb version of doro wat, and it was the PERFECT marriage of flavors. Incredible!! Thanks so much!
Steven Bruhm says
I should have added that I’m planning to feed this to friends tomorrow night, a full three days after I started it, so now I’m rather nervous.
Steven Bruhm says
Hello. I’m making injera from teff and water only (no other grains or yeasts) and everything I read tells me to let it ferment for 3 to 5 days. I started my batter 2 days ago and last night (after only 24 hours) it was bubbling like mad. Success!, I thought. Today, there are very few bubbles; the water floats to the top and just sits there. Should I worry? Is this normal? Is it possible to let injera ferment for too long?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Steven, it definitely has not fermented too long. Initially there will be more foam/bubbles on top and those will settle down, so it sounds like everything is on track. As I mention in the recipe, working with 100% teff is more challenging and takes some practice, so if you’re making this for guests without having given it a test run I would have some flatbread on hand as a backup just in case.
Anonymous says
Thanks for the fast reply. And yes, there will be rice (rather than flatbread) at the ready, should things go awry! I know it’s not legitimate Ethiopian, but no one will go away hungry!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
And in the end that’s what matters most! :) Good luck, Steven, and happy cooking and eating!