Injera Wraps Stuffed with Citrusy Split Peas (Kik Alicha)

I first tried Ethiopian food when I was in LA.  A great little health food store in Los Feliz neighbourhood, up by the Hollywood Hills, kept them in the chiller to-go. The curious grey/brown spongy wrap and sunlight yellow peas looked so appetising.  I was setting off on a 'road trip within a road trip' down to Joshua Tree to be alone in the desert and stare at millions of glistening stars.  I grabbed them and a bottle of kombucha and headed out.  I devoured them whilst driving in LA traffic (not a good idea folks, don't do this at home…well at home yes, but not in your car).  The flavours and textures were an instant hit.  Every road trip I took, beginning at this point, then always began with a mighty roll of tangy injera bread and lemony legumes.  When I've eaten them in other places since, they always transport me back to sunny California and dusty deserts.

Even though I've been hooked on Ethiopian cuisine ever since, it has taken me years to get around to making injera bread.  I was a bit scared of it.  Silly really, fermentation is not really something to be feared, like say rip tides or leg waxing.  I guess it's all timing.  I decided Vegan MoFo 2013 was a wonderful excuse to have a go.  

Injera is teff flour mixed with water and left to ferment for 2-3 days (mine took 3 days..it will depend on the warmth of your house).  It has a mildly sour taste.  Teff belongs to the genus of 'love grass'. Reported to be rich in iron and complex carbs ( thought to regulate blood sugar),  high in calcium, gluten free and, well, someone once told me all those Gold medal winning Ethiopian runners eat plenty of it, so it must be good. 

Injera Wraps Stuffed with Citrusy Split Peas (Kik Alicha)

3 cups wholegrain teff

4-5 cups water (I found a recipe that says use non-chlorinated water for the fermentation, which makes sense as the yeasts don't like chlorine..I'd try spring water next time)

oil for the fry pan/skillet

Pink salt to taste.  I used about 1 tsp.

Mix the teff flour and water (NOT the salt)into a bowl, cover and leave in a warmish spot undisturbed for 2-3 days.  See the picture below for how it should look.  I kept looking at it all the time, like you would watching soil for seed to sprout. I was so excited when it started to look cracked and then bubbles appeared on the surface.  I admit to talking to it then, and encouraging it a little (I never professed to be sane!.)  When it is fermented, mix in the salt. You may need to add more water, I did.  Look for the consistency of a moderately runny batter.

Pour the batter like you would a crepe in a heated, oiled pan (there is a special electric pan or clay plate, to make injera but I only had a non-stick frypan..beggars can't be choosers when housesitting!)  The tell-tale craters appear pretty quickly.  Once the edges are turning whitish then pop on a suitable sized lid for a minute or so, the steaming process finishes off the cooking.  Pop onto a plate and then cook the remainder.  Pile them on top of each other, using parchment paper to separate.  I was a virgin injera maker.  My results were a bit hit and miss and reminsecnet of the goldilocks story.  The first was way too thick, the second too thin and, yep you know the rest.  I only ended up making four.  If I'd have used the correct amount for each one I'd have probably doubled this.  The pan I was using was huge too.  Practice makes perfect.  I'll update you when I make them again.  I'd say I came 90% of the way of recreating my road trip injera.  I'd say that was not a bad result.  They've probably made 1000's of them.  

Kik Alicha

1 cup dried yellow split peas. soaked over night.  3 cups of water to cook. 1 1/2 tsp pink or sea salt.  Cook until soft but not completely mushy. It is good to have a bit of texture.  35-40mins.  Cook then set aside.  If they are too wet the strain off some of the water.  See the photo below for how they should look.

5 medium cloves garlic minced
1/4 onion grated (the original recipe didn't use onion but I used it as a buffer for the garlic so it didn't burn)
1 1/2 inch fresh ginger minced (use my method of mincing in a garlic press..discovered this for myself last week)
1 tsp turmeric
Put all the ingredients into an oiled pan.  Quick fry for 2 mins.  Stir constantly.

Pop the garlic, ginger paste into the beans and stir.  Now squeeze over the juice of 1-2 lemons, depending on size and juiciness.  The acidity of the lemons make the flavour of the beans zing.

Cover the surface of the bread with a layer of the kik alicha (the name of the puree/stew) and then roll.  Perform this for all.

I made a red split pea wat to go with it. Super easy, spiced with exotic berber spices.  I ate this hot, but served the injera wraps chilled, as this is how they were when I first encountered them.

Lovely.  I will never fear the injera again!

See you tomorrow! x