Injera, the Ethiopian and Eritrean staple, is not just a kind of bread - it's also a tablecloth and an eating utensil!

Injera is a yeast-risen flat bread with a unique slightly sour and slightly spongy texture. Injera is made with teff, a tiny, round, and very nutritious grain that flourishes in the highlands of Ethiopia. The flour is mixed with water and allowed to ferment for several days, giving injera a mildly sour taste and an airy, bubbly texture. The injera is then ready to bake into large flat pancakes, done either on a specialized electric stove or, more commonly, on a clay plate (mogogo) placed over a fire.

Traditional meats and vegetables are then placed on the injera for serving. Using one's right hand, small pieces of injera are torn and used to pick up the stews and salads for eating. The injera under these stews soaks up the juices and flavours of the foods and, after the stews and salads are gone, this bread is also consumed - officially marking the end of the meal.

Ethiopians and Eritreans modify their recipes depending on what grains are available to them. The injera you find locally might include both teff and wheat flours, but most is made solely with teff. As it takes time and effort to make, many local Ethiopian restaurants will allow you to buy injera from them to supplement your Ethiopian theme meal at home.

Serve your meal with the traditional Ethiopian wine, Tej, a potent honey wine similar to some of the traditional meads made in Kenya. It is frequently served in Ethiopian restaurants - a pleasant and inexpensive accompaniment to the meals. Depending on the length of fermentation, it can be mild to very potent - so be careful!