Neela and Fanta Journal of Ethnic Foods (2020) 7:32 Journal of Ethnic Foods https://doi.org/10.1186/s42779-020-00069-x REVIEW ARTICLE Open Access Injera (An Ethnic, Traditional Staple Food of Ethiopia): A review on Traditional Practice to Scientific Developments Satheesh Neela* and Solomon Workneh Fanta Abstract Injera is fermented Ethiopian ethnic traditional staple food prepared usually form teff flour [Eragrostis tef (Zucc.) Trotter]. Almost all the Ethiopians consume this food at least once in a day. Injera preparation composed of many steps, starting from grain preparation to baking; these all steps are still performing with indigenous knowledge with traditional practices. This Ethiopian national super food appreciating in many western countries due to the superior nutritional properties, especially lack of gluten and good mineral compositions (Rich of Iron). Research on injera preparation from composite flours for nutritional enhancement and sensory quality improvements were took lion share in reported scientific research. However, limited research was reported on preservation of injera by chemical ingredients and natural species, microbes involved in fermentation and spoilage. In addition, very fewer studies were reported on effect of milling quality of injera seed and role of fermentation on anti-nutritional factors degradation. However, scientific review to show the injera traditional practice and scientific research undertaken in this area is hardly found. In considering above all, this review is under taken with objective to review the traditional ethnic practice and scientific research reported on injera preparation. Keywords: Absit, Composite flour, Ethnic staple food, Ethiopian bread, ersho, Injera, shiro, wot Introduction in thickness, 60 cm in diameter with uniformly spaced "Injera" is an Amharic term for Ethiopian bread similar to honeycomb-like ‘eyes’ on the top [5]. pan cake, made usually from teff. Injera is thin, prepared Flatten breads/pan cakes with or without fermentation from teff flour, water and starter (a fluid collected from is very famous in diverse areas of the world, they may be previously fermented mix) after successive fermentations differs each in the ingredients and preparation process, [1]. The best acceptable (sensory) injera should be rich in size and sensory properties. The foods similar to the injera eyes, softer, thin, rolable and sour taste due to the fermen- were available in all over the world, as stated in the previ- tation process [2]. Injera is a traditional common ethnic ous, their ingredients and processing methods may be dif- staple food consumed in all the parts of the Ethiopia and ferent from the injera. Some examples are Dosa (India) Eretria, some parts of the Somalia [3]. However, small [6], Cong You Bing (China), Apam balik (Chains, Taiwan, portion of rice, wheat, enset (Ensete ventricosum (Welw.) Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore) [7], Baghrir Cheesman) based foods consumed as part of the staple (Algeria and Morocco) [8], Bánh cu n (Northern food along with injera in Ethiopia [4]. Gebrekidan and Vietnam) [9], Blini (Russia, Ukraine and Belarus) [10], Gebrehiwot described that distinctive injera is in a circle Cachapa (Venezuela) [11], Chatānmari (Nepal) [12], shape, softer in texture, spongy and resilient, about 6 mm kissra (Sudan) [13]. Teff is an ancient crop belongs to family poaceae, it is very popular in highlands of Ethiopia since more than 2, * Correspondence: [email protected] Faculty of Chemical and Food Engineering, Bahir Dar Institute of Technology, 000 years. Ethiopia is considered as the place of teff Bahir Dar University, Post box Number: 026, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia © The Author(s). 2020 Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article's Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article's Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/. Neela and Fanta Journal of Ethnic Foods (2020) 7:32 Page 2 of 15 origin [14] and domestication [15]. Teff was reported ex- pans of injera and “shiro” (a stew with lentils) (Fig. 2 A) tensive distribution in high elevation and rainfall regions dated back to the 600 AD [25]. of central, eastern and southern Africa. Now, nutri- Ethiopians have special beliefs and attitudes towards tionists considered teff as an ancient and “super to the foods in this regard; injera’s role in Ethiopian cul- grain”. Teff cultivation has also reported in some ture is significant and prestigious. In Ethiopia, people al- other parts of the world like, USA, South Africa, ways celebrate national and religious holidays including Australia, India, Kenya, Eritrea, Djibouti, south- their family gatherings like marriage, birthday, and death eastern Sudan and Netherlands [16]. ceremonies. In all the situations injera makes majority of Teff appreciated for balanced nutrition properties, re- the food in lunch and dinner times. However, the dried ported to possess protein in the range of 9.4–13.3% by injera is reconstituted in to a spicy, usually vegan diet superior equilibrium in essential amino acids like leu- constitutes of garlic and tomato sauce consumed in cine, valine, proline, alanine, glutamic and aspartic acids breakfast called as “firfir”. Injera usually consumes with are the major. In case of the carbohydrates, 73% of “wot”, it is a traditional dish made from the mix of vege- starch present in whole kernel stored as multilateral tables, meat, different spices and sauces. Usually, “wot” starch granules in the endosperm of the grain [15]. Teff served on the top of the injera. Ethiopian Orthodox reported 2.6–3.0 % of ash, and 2.0–3.1% of lipid [15, 17] Christians follows the fasting in different months in the with rich amounts of minerals like Iron, Calcium, Zinc, holidays like Easter and Christmas. At these fasting days Magnesium than other cereals [18]. The nutritional they strictly follows the vegan diet, at this duration injera composition of the Teff and teff injera from USDA data consumes with wot prepared by the lentils called as base is presented in Table 1 [19, 20] “shiro” along with different boiled vegetables and pasta In certain aspects, teff injera was considered greater to (Fig. 2 E) served on a beautiful basket called as “mesob”. wheat bread and has possible nutritional importance. Teff In addition, injera is still a major diet for migrant Ethio- is the most well-liked grain for preparation of injera, even pians to different western countries. This is evident from though additional grains such as sorghum, maize, barley, the availability of the Ethiopian restaurants and injera in wheat and finger millets reported to use occasionally. Usu- western countries where Ethiopian migrant’s populations ally, injera is consumed along with the stew called as “wot” are more. [21]. The term wot meaning is ‘wet’ in Amharic language, Traditionally meal (injera) in Ethiopia consumed in the resemblance English meaning is a stew. The stew is the communal plate (known 2-3 people eats in one plate made from vegetables and animal meat and served with with same injera) it shows their relation, closeness and injera. “Doro-wot” is a stew prepared from chicken, on- friendship. Amhara people in Bahir Dar region (Fig. 1) ions, red pepper, spices, butter and water. “Shiro” is a have a strong belief that, the woman who prepares the most common wot prepared from lentils, pulses, spices, best quality of the injera is considered as good at domes- red pepper etc [22]. However, injera also consumes com- tic management. Similarly, the women who prepared in- monly with cooked meat, boiled vegetables like beat root, jera with good eyes compared with honey bee and cabbage, potato, spinach, kale, etc. The honey-comb like denote that, she is very hard working in nature. Also, in- eyes help in the grasping of wot which soaks into the jera has unique role in baptism ceremony of the new pores on the surface of injera [23]. born child in orthodox Christians in Bahir dar city. In In Ethiopia still the injera preparation and consump- this ceremony some families practice roiling of baby in tion carrying by traditional practices only. However, sci- injera and they believe that, this act provides bright fu- entific research on areas like injera from composite ture and good fortune for the children. In addition, the flour; microbiological properties and preservation were orthodox churches the priest consumes injera after fin- reported. In this regards, the objective of this paper is to ishing the prayers, before leaving the church which is review the traditional practice and scientific research re- provided by the group of church members and these lated to the injera preparation. members feel this activity as a devotional. In Amhara re- gion, elders gift injera to younger and blessed to have great fortune. History, cultural and Ethnic Aspects of Injera Similarly, in marriage, birth ceremonies near and dear According to the Stewart and Getachew [1], the history gusts bring injera to the host and considering that this of injera preparation is a mistery, however, they reported provides good feature. In case of the death ceremonies, that from unpublished sources injera dated back to the people take injera in mesob to support the family of the 100 B.C. In case of the teff grain, the history was dated death person (Fig.