Ethiopian Injera

In a large ceramic or glass bowl, whisk together the teff flour and room-temperature water until completely smooth with no lumps. Add the ersho starter and stir in. Cover loosely with a cloth (not airtight — it must breathe) and leave at room temperature (20–24°C) for 48–72 hours. Stir once or twice daily. The batter will bubble actively, smell increasingly sour, and a dark liquid may rise to the surface — this is the teff separating, not spoilage. After 72 hours, drain off any dark liquid from the top.

Take 100g of the fermented batter and whisk it into the 200ml of boiling water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens to a smooth porridge (absit), about 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir the cooled absit back into the main fermented batter and add the salt. The absit gelatinizes starches and creates the distinctive 'eyes' in the finished injera. The final batter should be the consistency of thin pancake batter.

Heat a large non-stick skillet or traditional mitad (clay pan) over medium heat until a drop of water evaporates instantly on contact. Do not oil the pan. Pour 180–200ml of batter in a quick spiral from the outside in, then tilt to fill any gaps — work fast. Cover immediately with a lid. Cook for 2–3 minutes until the surface is completely set, the 'eyes' (holes) cover every centimeter, and the edges begin to curl. Do not flip — injera is cooked on one side only. Slide off gently. Stack on a cloth to absorb steam.