Injera Al La American

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups aunt jemima's deluxe easy-pour pancake batter
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1/2 cups club soda, at room-temperature
• 1 1/2 cups water

Directions

1. 1

   Combine the flour pancake mix and baking soda in a deep bowl. Stirring constantly with a whisk or spoon pour in the club soda and water in a slow stream and continue to stir until the mixture is a smooth thin cream.

2. 2

   Strain the batter through a fine sieve set over a clean bowl pressing down hard on any lumps with the back of a large spoon. Cook the injera in a 10 inch skillet or omelette pan with a non-stick cooking surface or a well-seasoned 10 inch cast iron skillet.

3. 3

   Warm the ungreased pan over moderate heat until it is just hot enough to set the batter without browning it. To test the heat pour 1 tablespoon of the batter into the centre of the pan. The bottom surface should solidify immediately without becoming brown.

4. 4

   For each injera remove the pan from the heat and ladle in 1/4 cup of the batter. Then quickly tip the pan back and forth to cover the bottom evenly. Cover the pan partially and cook the bread over moderate heat for 1 minute or just until the top is spongy moist and dotted with tiny air holes. The bottom should be smooth dry and somewhat shiny.

5. 5

   Do not let the bottom brown; otherwise the edges may become too crisp. Remove the pan from the heat and use a spatula or your fingers to lift the injera gently out of the pan. Lay it on a plate to cool and ladle another 1/4 cup of batter into the pan tipping and spreading the batter evenly.

6. 6

   Repeat the cooking process and when the next injera is done transfer the cooled bread to a platter and place the hot injera on the plate. Continue making the breads in the same fashion with the remaining batter.

7. 7

   To serve spread 7 or 8 injera out in a shallow or flat basket or on a large platter letting them overlap each other and rape over the edge of the container. Fold the rest of the injera into quarters and arrange them attractively in the centre. To eat them tear off a small piece and use it to scoop up food.

8. 8

   In Ethiopia injera is served with almost every meal and is a traditional accompaniment to such dishes as doro wat sik sik wat and zilzil alecha.