Injera

Which food, when you eat it, instantly transports you to childhood?

I am immediately transported to Luther Drive, Ames, Iowa. 2004 to 2008, my family lived in an apartment community where a lot of marginalized communities lived. It was a tranquil community, with a great deal of diversity.

I had Ethiopian friends who lived just down the street and whenever we had special occasions, their mother would make a meal called Injera. Injera is a sour fermented pancake like flatbread with a slightly spongy texture, traditionally made with teff flour. In Ethiopia and Eritrea (north Eastern Africa), this meal is a staple.

Traditionally, the flour is mixed with water and fermented. It is baked by pouring the mixture onto a large circular griddle, known as a mitad.

The injera is baked into large, flat and round pieces. The dough’s viscosity allows it to be poured onto the baking surface, rather than rolled out.

Injera is the one of the most important components of food in Ethiopia and Eritrea. It is often both the serving platter and utensil for a meal. Hearty stews are placed on top of the bread and then the meal is eaten by tearing pieces of injera off and scooping up the stews

I loved the experience of eating injera because it would often be eaten as a group, as a shared meal. My siblings and I would fight over the stew, but ultimately, eating injera was always a happy moment, even if only for a short period of time.