Injerà, a sour, spongy flatbread of about 50 cms of diameter, is the staple bread of Ethiopian and Eritrean households and is served at every meal.

For a festive dinner, hot trays are covered with various layers of injerà, which are strewn with small mounds of different dishes, such as doro wots, boiled eggs,zighini, beef and lamb and other specialities of, fresh cheeses and vegetable stews.

Though the original recipe calls for a sourdough starter and teff flour, this version is an easy substitute for a Western kitchen.

Makes 12 flatbreads
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

2 cups teff flour or whole-wheat flour (not stone-ground) or buckwheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain yoghurt
3 cups club soda or sparkling water (extra fizzy is better)
2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)

PREPARATION

In a large bowl, whisk together the two flours, the baking soda and the salt.

Whisk the yoghurt into the club soda in a separate small bowl, then pour into the flour mixture so to make a smooth, thin batter. Make sure there are no limps left inside.

Heat the ghee in a large pan over medium-high heat. Pour half cup of the batter into the pan in a spiral, starting from the centre and cook for around 20 seconds. Cover with a lid and cook another 30 seconds.

Transfer to a plate and keep in a warmed up oven while you cook the other injerà.

The flatbreads will of course be pan size, but you can overlap them on a serving dish to produce the same tray effect of the original large size injerà.