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When mentioning Ethiopia, the homeland of coffee, people often immediately think of Injera bread.This dish has become a defining characteristic of this East African nation. In some European countries, this delicious pastry even features on the menus of upscale restaurants.
Injera is a traditional Ethiopian flatbread, round and flat like a platter, often eaten with vegetables or stews. While it may look simple, making a delicious Injera is quite a complicated process.
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| Injera is a unique Ethiopian pastry. |
Injera bread is made from teff, the smallest of all grains, and is widely grown in Ethiopia. After harvesting, the teff is ground and mixed with flour, yeast, and a little flower petal. This dough mixture is then left to ferment for about three days. Afterward, a mixture called absit (teff powder dissolved in boiling water) is used.This mixture will be poured into the already proofed dough. This new dough mixture will then be left to proof for another hour or so.
Making Injera bread isn't particularly complicated in terms of ingredients; the preparation of the utensils is the crucial step. The baking tools consist of a single pot, but with a distinctive shape. The flat, round body is made from clay and is often called a grill. The slightly curved lid is made from black clay, ash, and mud. Ethiopian women only begin baking the bread when preparing a meal. The grill is heated evenly first.
Typically, Ethiopians will evenly sprinkle cabbage flour on the grill to accurately gauge the heating time. This process takes about 30 minutes. At this point, the cabbage flour is wiped off to prevent sticking. The teff mixture prepared earlier is then evenly spread over the surface. The grill is left open until holes appear in the bread before the lid is closed. Injera bread is cooked in about 3 minutes.
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| An Injera bread roll was prepared to serve the guests. |
In everyday meals, Injera bread is usually prepared with vegetables and fillings such as eggs, cheese, or stewed meat… But during festivals or when there are honored guests, Injera bread is prepared more elaborately, with many layers of small Injera bread rolled on top of a large Injera bread.
Because this is the birthplace of coffee, Injera bread is often served with coffee at every meal. Guests visiting Ethiopian homes shouldn't be surprised to see them take the best piece of Injera and put it in their mouths, as it's a custom here to show Ethiopian hospitality.
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| This is a common sight in the beautiful country of Ethiopia. |
If you ever have the chance to explore the mysterious and captivating country of Ethiopia, be sure to try Injera bread to experience a unique African culture.
