Abyssinia Market - Injera

Long story short, last year, I got some Mareko Fana seeds from a work-related source. These are the peppers used to make Ethiopian Berbere spice blend. Raw, they were terrible—so much so that I was skeptical—but we dried them and used them to make homemade Berbere spice. The homemade Berbere spice was fantastic with complex layers of flavors from the pepper and different spices. We’ve been using it ever since to make Ethiopian food at home- sadly, we just finished the last of it.

I enjoy going out for Ethiopian food, but making it at home has been a revelation. The flavors are incredible, especially Berbere red lentils, which are easy to make and very delicious.

But we are not ambitious enough to make Injera from scratch. Luckily, we stumbled upon Abyssinia Market in Oakland, which makes and sells Injera. It’s inexpensive, delicious, and keeps well in the fridge. To warm it up, we just put it on a plate, cover it with a damp paper towel, and microwave it.

Beyond Ethiopian food, we’ve found that Injera pairs well with all sorts of dishes—everything from eggs in the morning to Middle Eastern and Greek dips. Tonight, we had it with roasted Japanese sweet potatoes and Aji Verde sauce. If you haven’t tried their Injera yet, I highly recommend it!



8 Likes

Injera is made from teff flour.

2 Likes

From Chat-GPT:

Injera is a spongy, sourdough flatbread made from teff flour, a staple in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. It has a slightly tangy flavor and a unique, airy texture with small holes (called “eyes”) that help soak up stews and sauces. Traditionally, Injera serves as both a plate and utensil, used to scoop up dishes like doro wat (spiced chicken stew) and misir wat (spiced lentils). It’s naturally gluten-free and fermented for a few days, giving it its signature sour taste.

Teff (Eragrostis tef) is an ancient grain native to Ethiopia and Eritrea, where it has been cultivated for thousands of years. It is one of the smallest grains in the world but is highly nutritious, packed with fiber, protein, iron, and calcium. Naturally gluten-free, teff is the key ingredient in Injera, the spongy Ethiopian flatbread. It comes in different colors, from ivory to dark brown, with a mild, nutty flavor. Beyond Injera, teff is also used in porridge, baked goods, and as a flour alternative in gluten-free cooking.

1 Like

Off topic - Please don’t use Chat GPT. It is a waste of water and other resources, in addition to being full of plagiarized information whose original authors have not been credited or compensated.

On topic - @Maddox This site has information about Injera.

5 Likes

My wife made several Ethiopian dishes last week, and we probably should have hightailed it over to Oakland to get some pre-made injera rather than using Afghani flatbread (not nearly porous enough).

3 Likes

Have not tried it personally, but a search turned up another injera source:

Café Dareye
2504 Telegraph Ave Oakland, CA