Teff is a cereal originating from Ethiopia rich in nutrients and characterized by small grains. It has a high content of calcium, protein and many other essential nutrients. Its taste is slightly reminiscent of dried fruit and can also be eaten by those who follow a gluten-free diet. In addition to being inexpensive, it is quick and easy to prepare using a variety of cooking methods.
Ingrediants
First Cooking Method:
- 1 cup of teff
- 1 cup of water
- A pinch of salt (optional)
Second Cooking Method:
- 1 cup of teff
- 3 cups of water
- A pinch of salt (optional)
Third Cooking Method:
Use teff flour to replace a quarter of the regular flour dose required by the recipe
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Cook Whole Teff Grains
Step 1. Toast the teff
Heat a skillet over medium heat. Pour the teff over the dry, hot cooking surface. Do not add oils or fats. Heat it for about 2 minutes. The specks will be ready when you start to hear them popping.
Roasting enhances the taste of teff
Step 2. Mix the teff and water
Pour the toasted teff into a saucepan and add 1 cup of water.
Step 3. Wait for it to start boiling
Cook the water and teff until the liquid comes to a boil.
Step 4. Lower the heat
Reduce the heat to low to simmer the teff. Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
Step 5. Remove the pot from the heat
Remove the saucepan from the heat and set it aside for 5 minutes to cool the teff. Do not remove the lid.
Step 6. Serve the teff as a side dish or add it to another dish
Cooked grains can be used as a substitute for rice to accompany other dishes, but they can also be added to dishes such as soups or stews. Teff cooked with this method goes well with different dishes. For example, it can be incorporated into a soup, sprinkled on salads or vegetables, or added to recipes that call for whole grains of teff.
Method 2 of 3: Make Teff Porridge
Step 1. Try toasting the teff before you start
This is an optional step, but it helps to further enhance the flavor of the cereal.
To toast the teff, heat it dry in a boiling pan for about 2 minutes
Step 2. Mix teff and water
In a saucepan, pour 1 cup of teff seeds and 3 cups of water.
Step 3. Start the cooking process
Start cooking the ingredients over high heat. Bring the water to a boil.
Step 4. Lower the heat
Set the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. Stir often to prevent the teff from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
Step 5. Remove the pot from the heat once the teff has softened and absorbed the water
Let it sit for 5 minutes.
Step 6. Serve the teff
Teff tastes reminiscent of dried fruit and can be used to make both savory and sweet recipes.
- Do you want to prepare a savory recipe? Try serving it instead of rice to accompany steamed vegetables or a stew.
- In savory recipes, teff is often seasoned with ginger, garlic, cardamom, chilli, basil or coriander.
- If you decide to use it for a sweet recipe, you can eat it for breakfast. You can serve it as if it were oatmeal or other grains. Add honey and dried fruit such as raisins.
Method 3 of 3: Cooking with Teff Flour
Step 1. Buy pre-ground teff flour
Since the grains are tiny, grinding them at home is quite difficult. To get started, buy a pack of ready-to-use teff flour.
- Teff flour is available in shops selling natural products and in some supermarkets.
- You can also buy it online on Amazon or on sites like Macrolibrarsi.
Step 2. Use teff flour to replace the all-purpose one
The simplest way to cook with teff flour is to use it to partially replace the flour you usually use.
- Use teff flour to replace a quarter or 25% of the white flour dose required by the recipe.
- Incorporating teff flour improves the nutritional value of recipes and, since it has a flavor reminiscent of dried fruit, it enriches the taste.
- If you have a kitchen scale, use it to weigh flour rather than orient yourself by volume. Teff is denser than regular flour. For a more precise measurement, therefore, use a quantity of teff flour that has the same weight as a quarter of the white flour required by the recipe.
- For recipes that call for wholemeal flours such as buckwheat, you can use larger amounts of teff in the substitution. If a recipe calls for buckwheat flour, substitute half of this ingredient with teff flour.
Step 3. Make cakes and biscuits with teff flour
It can be used in dishes such as pancakes, pies, biscuits and in most recipes that call for other wholemeal flours.
- Visit gluten-free cooking sites to look for recipes that specifically call for teff flour.
- Try using it to make scones, muffins, chips, pies, pancakes, cakes and shortbreads.
- Teff flour is traditionally used to cook enjera.
Step 4. Store the flour in the refrigerator
After opening the package, store it in the fridge to keep it fresh.
