In my earlier post documenting some of the steps I took to make Ethiopian injera bread in the UK, I mentioned that it took close to a full month to get a vigorously healthy starter going. Also, I used cheaper flour that contained gluten in it for the beginning steps.
Well, just five days ago I tried to start another starter from scratch, this time with gluten free white flour from Dove Farms. Well, in just four or five days, I found my container nearly overflowing when I arrived home tonight! Witness:
The starter is overflowing the container slightly.
A closeup of the starter. You can see the bubbles of the healthy starter.
A day and a half ago, the container was only half full, but on it’s own, the active yeast cultures caused it to rise all on it’s own. I’m not sure if it was the gluten free flour, the slightly warmer temperatures we’ve been having this past week, or some combination thereof, but I’m very happy with this. Also, I’ve read multiple places that once you have done some baking (although you don’t technically bake the injera) with yeast-gathering processes, it causes more yeast to be in the air, so that may have been it as well.
Remember, if you try this at home, be sure to not close the lid all the way, or else the starter might explode.
Is this the thin bread served on the bottom of Ethiopian food?Oh, congrats by the way. I’m glad your hard work is paying off!
Rusty, yes, this is the beginning of ingredients used to make the same food that is served at the bottom. It’s also the same food that is used to eat the food itself, simultaneously edible and a utensil–a sour one at that! But yeah, a starter has to be made first so that an active yeast culture can cause the injera starter to grow sour before cooking it.
Wow, cool-looking injera starter! I just tried out making yogurt from scratch yesterday, and it was pretty easy and came out tasty. I like the new look of your blorg, btw. Very clean.