Fermented Teff Crepe

An amazing minimalist one-ingredient crepe! If you don’t count water and the horde of wild yeast (from the natural environment). This is not quite the (white) injera I have had at many Ethiopian restaurants, but a fairly toothsome dark contender. After many laborious experimentation, here is my streamlined version –utilizing a Proofer– for a seven-day version. I.e., one Sunday to the next. Enjoy!

SPECIAL TOOLS:

A Proofer.

METHOD

1. Sunday 1: Mix 2 cups dark teff flour in about 3 cups warm water in a glass bowl. Mix well with wire whisk and cover. Ferment at 86 F, in Proofer, for 5 days.
2. Friday 1: – Pour out the entire top liquid (that may even look alarmingly funky).
   – Bring 1 cup water to boil in a small saucepan, add 1/2 cup of the fermented residue (which has the consistency of clay) and thicken while constantly stirring with wire whisk. In a few minutes, it thickens. Add this to the remainder of the fermented residue in the glass bowl. Mix with wire whisk till homogenous.
   – Add 2/3 to 1 cup water and mix well.
   – Cover and continue to ferment at 86 F, in Proofer, for 2 days.
3. Sunday 2: Pour out some on the top liquid layer.
   – Heat a non-stick crepe pan. You may have to very lightly oil the pan before the very first one.
   – Pour 1/3 cup batter onto the crepe pan and swirl it around.
   – Cover and let cook undisturbed for 5 mins on medium heat.
   – Carefully peel off the pan with the help of a spatula.

NOTES, HINTS, TIPS:

1. This has been inspired from from many sources: https://www.daringgourmet.com/authentic-injera-ethiopian-flatbread/ https://www.preservedgoods.com/post/ethiopian-injera .
2. I have had tried various fermentation catalysts like yogurt, fenugreek seeds etc, but in this version II don’t use any.
3. The fermented teff flour has a sweet nutty flavor, almost that of molasses. I was also reminded of a sweet aroma from my grandmother’s village kitchen, but couldn’t place my finger on quite what.