SOMALIA: Anjero

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Servings

15

Ready In:

35min

Good For:

Breakfast, Bread Side Dish

Introduction

About this Recipe

By: Amina

Anjero is a staple in Somali cuisine. It is a fermented, pancake-like bread used in both sweeter breakfast dishes and savory meals. While this food is similar to the better-known Ethiopian injera, it differs in that it is not as sour, is smaller in size, and is only fermented overnight rather than a few days.

Amina shared this recipe from her home country of Somalia. She arrived to Pittsburgh as a refugee in 2015. She often makes anjero for her guests, along with beef stew.

Ingredients

For starter

1 c. white cornmeal
1/2 c. sorghum flour (jowar flour)
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. instant dry yeast (active dry yeast works well too)
1 c. lukewarm water

For batter

4 c. self-rising flour
1/4 c. demerara sugar
Starter mixture (above)
4 1/4 c. lukewarm water

Some anjeros use little or no sugar for more savory flavors. Anjero is regularly eaten with both sweet and savory food in Somalia. It is often served with food like beef stew, liver and onions, butter or honey, and other similar items. Anjero is typically eaten for breakfast and is similar to a pancake-like texture. Add some jam, chickpea curry, meat and beans, or other similar foods, and enjoy!

Instructions

Step 1

Mix starter ingredients together in a bowl and let soak uncovered for one hour.

Step 2

After one hour, in a large bowl, add the flour, sugar and starter.

Step 3

Mix by hand, adding water in stages to avoid lumps. Beat the batter until smooth. (Alternatively you can add all the water at once and use an immersion blender to save time.) oil.

Step 4

Cover the bowl with cling film and leave on the countertop to ferment for two hours (it will be risen and bubbly).

Step 5

After two hours, Heat a griddle or non-stick pan on medium. Stir the batter before using.

Step 6

With a ladle, pour the batter in the centre of the pan and use the bottom of the ladle to spread it around in a spiral or swirl pattern. (Do this quickly, as the anjero gets cooked fast.)

Step 7

The anjero is done when the batter dries up.

Step 8

Using a spatula remove the anjero from the pan. Continue with the remaining batter and stack the anjeros to remain soft. For a crispy anjero let it cook a few more seconds.