Capsaicin Free Injera
Injera is one of those breads that feels almost magical — a spongy, tangy flatbread with a lacy surface of tiny bubbles that forms entirely without flipping, just steam and patience doing the work. The fermentation process is the real star here: two days of slow, natural fermentation transforms a simple teff-and-water batter into something deeply flavorful and pleasantly sour, no spice blends or heat-forward seasonings required. For anyone avoiding capsaicin, this is a genuinely exciting find, since so many dishes that pair with injera lean heavily on chili-laden sauces — but the bread itself is completely clean and mild. Teff flour brings a subtle earthiness and a naturally gluten-free grain base, and the only other players are water, a pinch of yeast, and salt. The technique is surprisingly approachable once you understand the rhythm: thin batter, hot pan, one confident swirl, and a quick steam under a lid to finish. Those characteristic "eyes" that form across the surface aren't just beautiful — they're the sign that your fermentation and heat were exactly right. Serve it as a scoop, a wrap, or a base for whatever you're building your plate around.
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Learn more →Ingredients
6 servings
- 2 cups teff flour
- 2 ½ cups water, divided (plus more as needed)
- ¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
- 1
Whisk together the teff flour, 2 cups of the water, and the yeast in a large mixing bowl until smooth and no dry flour remains. The batter will be thick at this stage, similar to a dense pancake batter.
- 2
Cover the bowl loosely with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature for 48 hours, until the batter smells pleasantly sour and small bubbles are visible on the surface. Stir once or twice a day.
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