A few years ago, I spent some time in Ethiopia. While there I developed a fondness for injera, the spongy, flat, fermented bread made from the local grain called teff. The bread has a distinct nutty scent and taste and is the backbone of the Ethiopian cuisine. Curries, meats, and vegetables are layered over injera and pieces of the bread are used to scoop up food. Across the countryside, it seemed as if every farmer grew teff. Sadly, when I returned home I could not find teff flour anywhere. The Ethiopian government had banned export of teff since 2006 because the grain was so important to the Ethiopian economy and culture. While teff is the largest crop in Ethiopia, the government feared that continued exports would lead to increased teff prices at home--something that has happened to other speciality grains such as quinoa. However, better farming practices have led to substantial gains in crop yields easing fears of inflation at home if exports were to resume.
As reported on CNN, this past year the Ethiopian government finally relaxed rules on the exportation of teff and now teff flour and grain can be found in specialty markets and on-line. The result is that teff is now a cash crop supporting production in Ethiopia. Demand for the grain in different parts of the world is growing. Teff is likely to become a popular grain among the health conscious as it is gluten-free, and contains more protein, fiber, and minerals than the white all-purpose wheat flour commonly sold in the US. The only downside is that the grain is costly, averaging between $6 and $12 a pound. Still, I am happy that buying the grain or flour will help support farmers in Ethiopia. Now, I just have to figure out how to make authentic tasting injera.
