| Teff is a gluten free grain that is a native of northern | | | | vegan, but you will find also find recipes that include |
| Ethiopia. It contains high levels of calcium, iron, fiber, | | | | eggs and milk if you prefer. |
| and other important nutrients. Teff flour can be used | | | | You may also want to try teff porridge. It is made |
| with other flours for gluten free baked goods and as | | | | with teff seeds rather than flour. Some people toast |
| a whole grain, it makes a nutty porridge. The primary | | | | the seeds briefly before adding water to enhance |
| cross-contamination risk comes during milling; it must | | | | the nutty flavor. Most recipes call for four parts |
| be milled using equipment that is only used for gluten | | | | water to one part teff along with some kind of |
| free flour. | | | | sweetener and a tiny bit of salt. Simmer about 20 |
| Teff is grain that originates in northern Ethiopia | | | | minutes or until the water is all absorbed. If the |
| where it is the primary grain used to make injera, a | | | | porridge gets too thick, add a bit more water or milk. |
| pancake-like bread. It has tiny seeds (about 1 mm or | | | | Traditionally teff is used to make injera, Ethiopian flat |
| about 1/32 of an inch) that are nothing like wheat, | | | | bread. Teff flour, water and a sourdough-like starter |
| rye, or barley seeds. With such tiny seeds, it is very | | | | or yeast are allowed to ferment at room |
| difficult to separate the bran from the inner | | | | temperature, then mixed with a little salt and cooked |
| endosperm, so teff flour is generally made with the | | | | with a small amount of oil. The injera flat bread is |
| whole grain. | | | | used both as a plate and an eating utensil for |
| Teff has is high in calcium and it also contains | | | | traditional stews. If you try injera in a restaurant, |
| phosphorus, iron, copper, aluminum, barium and | | | | make sure that no gluten flours have been used in |
| thiamine (vitamin B1). Teff is high in protein and fiber, | | | | the starter or to modify the texture of the bread. |
| especially compared to the "white" gluten free flours | | | | Because the teff seeds are so much smaller than |
| - white rice, corn starch, and tapioca starch. | | | | wheat or barley seeds, the only real |
| You can replace some of the flour in your gluten free | | | | cross-contamination concern with teff comes when it |
| baked goods with teff to add both flavor and | | | | is milled into flour. It is virtually impossible to clean |
| nutrients. Teff has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. You | | | | equipment used to mill wheat well enough to mill |
| might want to start by adding teff to your muffin or | | | | gluten free grains without cross-contamination. As a |
| bread recipes. If you like the taste, increase the | | | | gluten free consumer, this means you have to take |
| amount of teff. | | | | the extra step to make sure your flour is safe. Make |
| You might also like to try teff pancakes. You will find | | | | sure you ask the manufacturer if the teff was |
| lots of recipes available. Make sure you choose a | | | | ground on shared equipment. If they purchase the |
| gluten free recipe because you will find some that call | | | | teff in bulk and repackage it, follow the trail back to |
| for wheat flour. Many of the posted recipes are | | | | the milling company. |