Non-yeast bread starter...?!
Answers: I'm trying a new starter. The bread is called "Foolproof Shaker Salt Rising Bread," and the starter calls for 1 c. scalded milk, 1/2 c. corn meal, sugar, and salt. It says to cover tightly with cling wrap and place in a cold oven with the light turned on for 72 hours. I did this Saturday morning, and as of this morning (48 hours) you can imagine what it smells like with the milk in it. My question is: Has anyone made a starter using milk before? Obviously milk that has been left unrefrigerated will eventually smell pretty bad. The starter seem to be doing what it's supposed to--it's getting bubbly, etc. Is it supposed to be this stinky? Anyone ever made anything like this before??
The milk has bacteria in it that will take the place of yeast, that is, producing CO2 by-products to lighten and rise the bread. It's no worse than buttermilk, really. Just give it the 72 hours, then make the bread. If you hate it, pitch it to the birds. If you love it, you've found a unique new recipe!
Here is one for Injera (Ethiopian flatbread from Teff)
Make your own ersho ( sour dough starter)
Start as you would create any sourdough starter and then convert it to teff or gebs (barley) ersho (starter).
All you need is bread flour, water, time, and persistence (lots of the last two).
Amounts are small because I like to use the minimum of flour practical for building the sourdough, as so much of it will be thrown away.
If you are baking bread in the meantime, you can add any of these discards to a yeasted dough for extra flavor.
1st day mix 1/2 cup flour with 1/2 cup warm water to make a thick paste and scrape it into a clean sealed jar.
2nd day refresh the dough by adding another 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water.
3rd day the starter should have puffed a bit and smell sharp. Throw away half of the starter and add 1/2 cup bread flour and 1/2 cup water to the jar, stir it well, and scrape the sides with a rubber spatula to clean them. Reseal the jar.
4th day repeat as 3rd day.
5th day-by now the starter will double the size. Throw away half of the starter and mix 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup water.
If the starter not double the size continue to refresh it with the same process one more time for another day.
Now is the time to convert your start to teff or gebs ersho.
Start with 1 cup teff and 1/4 cup starter mix it very well. Add water to make it like a smoothie like consistency about 2-3 cups water.
Leave this teff mixture on your counter for about 3 days. Just check every day how it looks.
The 1st two days the teff/flour mixture will rise and then by the 3rd day will subside, settle at the low level & the water rise on the top.
After almost 3 days water (hooch) will cover the teff mixture, smell like yeast, water will be tan like color.
you need to let the mixture stay fermented for a couple of days or more depending on your area( hot or cold weather).
After your got to your desire stage of fermentation, pour out the water completely.
Now you have established the teff starter.
Repeat the same for gebs starter as you did with the teff.
The next step is baking the real thing teff injera or gebs (barley) injera.
Make sure to save some ersho before baking injera for next time. If you are not using the saved ersho any time soon, keep it in the fridge. Do not forget to refresh it at least once a week. The hooch will get dark. It's OK. Just pour it out.
The taste of these injeras, not only is fantastic, but if you are like me, the baking experience itself, the aroma of this wonderful teff injera will remind me home, down memory Lane again.
http://watchlady.blogspot.com/2007/04/wa...
Do not any body let you believe that 100% teff decent injera can only be done in Ethiopia. If you can put your heart to it and do not give up, you can do it. No need to add commercial yeast, baking soda/powder or self-rising flour, which alters the taste and texture of real injera.
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(Barley) injera (lit or batter)
You can't go wrong with Barley, whole grain flour which is an excellent source of dietary fiber. A whole grain is a grain that still has its outer covering, which is nutritionally rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. There are a whole lot of reasons to eat whole grain flour. They are low in fat. This days they even suggested that women who eat more whole grains weight less. They are good sources of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein.
Gebs (barley) injera recipe
Ingredients:
1/4 cup gebs starter(ersho)
2 cups gebs (barley) flour. I got my barley flour supplies from Honeyville co.
1 cup teff flour - I used ivory color teff flour from Teff co.
1 tsp ground abish (fenugreek)-helps improve the texture of injera to be softer and shiny.
4-5 cups water. (I use filtered water, less water for thicker injera-I like mine very thin)
plastic container (jar) with wide opening (cleaned well)
Sift the flours & abish. Then mix the sifted flour, starter & 1 cup water. Start with minimum water to make a dough & knead the dough to form a ball for about 2 min. Pour the rest of the water 3 cups to form a thin smoothie like consistency.
I use a blender stick (the sort that you blend in a cook pot..instead of mixer, but could use mixer) to knead the dough and blend. You got to love this blend stick thing. Mine has dough attachment & more.
You can also use a blender. I found it that the blend stick is much easier to work with.
You need to get the consistency right. Very thin smoothie like consistency is very important to achieve that good soft airy injera.
It will take about a day or two to become sour and ready to be baked like a good decent injera. But you can bake this gebs lit the next day.
Water will rise to the top. Just pour out the water before baking. Lots of bubbles. Just give it a stir and start baking.
Set the pan on medium high heat, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt on the pan for 1 minute. This helps to form more holes in the injera. Make sure to wipe the salt completely off the pan before pouring the lit.
Pour out 1/2 cup of the lit on the pan and move it around. Cover the pan with a lid and bake until holes form in the injera and the edges lift from the pan about less than a minute. Remove the injera and let it cool. Repeat till you finish the lit.
Yields about 13 (8 inch injera.
I use a simple 12 inch round Teflon none stick frying pan to bake my injera.
If for some reason you are not ready to bake the injera, just keep the gebs lit in the fridge and take it out later or the next day. The water on the gebs lit might turn very dark. That is OK. Just pour it out before baking the injera.
Make sure to wait for a couple of hours. The mixture need to be at room temperature.
This gebs injera has different texture and taste than the 100% teff injera. Though, I like them both.
I like this gebs injera fresh, hot out of the pan. It's like 'I can't stop eating'. The aroma of the abish of this injera is out of this world. The usual "awesome" trip down memory lane!
This gebs injera is not as soft and moist next day. To keep it in the fridge or freeze it, not so much. If you want your gebs injera to stay soft and moist the next couple of days do the absit. You need absit, if you are making a lot of injera and plan to save it in the fridge or freeze it.
If you follow this recipe no need to add self rising flour , baking powder/soda or commercial yeast which alter the real taste & texture of gebs injera
http://watchlady.blogspot.com/2007/09/ge...
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100% teff injera
Teff injera is a spongy sourdough flat bread, perfect finger food, nutritious & gluten free. Teff is whole grain flour which is an excellent source of dietary fibre, protein, and complex carbohydrates, and is a good source of certain vitamins and minerals.
Even more when teff is used to make injera, a short fermentation process allows the yeast to generate more vitamins.
100% teff injera recipe
Ingredients:
1/4 cup ersho (teff starter)
3 cups teff flour - I used ivory color teff flour from Teff co.
1 tsp ground abish (fenugreek)-helps improve the texture of injera to be softer and shiny.
4-5 cups water. (I use filtered water, less water for thicker injera-I like mine very thin)
Large plastic container (jar) double the size of your lit, with wide opening (cleaned well).
Sift teff flour & abish. Then mix the sifted flour, starter & 1 cup water.
Start with minimum water to make a dough & knead the dough to form a ball for about 2 min. I found the teff flour to be a bit coarse, so it is necessary to knead the mixture to form a dough.
Pour the rest of the water 3 cups to form a thin smoothie like consistency.
I use a blend stick to knead the dough and blend. You got to love this blend stick thing. Mine has dough attachment & more.
You can also use a blender. I found it that the blend stick is much easier to work with.
It will take 2-3 days to become sour and ready to be baked like a good decent injera.
The 1st day the lit will rise (need at least two times larger container) and then by the 3rd day will subside a bit. Water will rise to the top. Just pour out the water before baking.
The 2-3 day wait period, depends on how sour you want your teff injera to taste. Other wise you are good to bake it next day.
When you are ready to bake the injera stir the lit gently. Then set the pan on medium high heat, sprinkle 1/2 tsp salt on the pan for 1 minute. This helps to form more holes in the injera.
Make sure to wipe the salt completely off the pan before pouring the lit.
Pour out 1/2 cup of the teff mixture (lit) on the pan and move it around.
Cover the pan with a lid and bake until holes form in the injera and the edges lift from the pan about less than a minute.
Remove the injera and let it cool. Repeat till you finish the lit.
This yields about 13 (8 inch injera)
I use a simple 12 inch round Teflon none stick frying pan to bake my injera.
If for some reason you are not ready to bake the injera, just keep the teff mixture in the fridge and take it out later or the next day. The water on the teff mixture will turn very dark. That is OK. Just pour it out before baking the injera.
Make sure to wait for a couple of hours. The mixture need to be at room temperature.
Word of caution.
Summer time the teff mixture has a tendency to get moldy. So I will keep it in the fridge day time, while I am out. It will still continue to ferment at slow phase.
I can't crank up the air condition just for the teff mixture.
I like this teff injera fresh, hot out of the pan. Next day is also OK. To keep it in the fridge or freeze it, not so much.
http://watchlady.blogspot.com/2007/04/te...
i have never tried this but i will have a go at it though be nice with curries i think and a change from nan bread.