Teff
In the highlands of Ethiopia the main staple food grown is Teff, which is a very fine grass-like cereal. Teff flour is used to prepare 'injera' or 'enjera', which is a soft spongy bread that looks like a pancake. In a few other countries teff is grown to produce hay as a fodder crop.
This page provides some basic information about teff, together with some photos of teff, and a teff recipe.
Basic information on Teff
| Scientific name: | Eragrostis tef |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Order: | Poales |
| English: | Teff Taf Tef Lovegrass Annual Bunch Grass Warm Season Annual Bunch Grass |
| Dutch: | Teff |
| German: | Teff |
| French: | Mil éthiopien Teff Tef |
| Italian: | Teff Tef |
| Spanish: | Teff Tef |
| Origin: | Highlands of Ethiopia |
| Distribution: | Ethiopia,Eritrea, Austalia, India |
| Plant: | Teff is an annual grass. |
| Grain: | Teff has tiny grains that are only 1 to 1.7 mm long and 0.6 to 1 mm in diameter. |
| Climate and weather: | Teff is grown in Ethiopia at altitudes between 1800 and 2200 meters where the weather is relatively cool (10 to 27 °C). |
| Pollination: | Teff is a self pollinating plant. |
| Height: | Teff height can vary from about 25 to 130 centimeters. |
| Moisture: | Teff is rather tolerant to drought but can also tolerate waterlogged conditions. |
| Spacing (close range) | |
| Spacing (wide range) | |
| Propagation: | Teff is propagated by sowing the seeds. |
| Yield: | Teff yields are between 300 and 3000 kg per hectare, but average yield of teff in Ethiopia is less than 1000 kg per hectare. |
| Insect pests: | Teff has usually not many insects pest problems. Insect pests of teff include: Welo Bush Cricket, Barley Fly, Black Tef Beetle, Mendi Termite, and Red Tef Worm |
| Diseases: | Few diseases attack teff. |
| Plant development: | Depending on the type, teff will mature in 60 to 160 days. |
| Harvesting: | Harvesting and threshing Teff is labor intensive. Because of the small size the grains are easily lost. |
| Uses: | The seeds of teff are used as a staple cereal in the highlands of Ethiopia.
Teff is also used to produce hay as a fodder crop for animals. |
Teff photos
Injera pictures by: Spider Webs Unite.
Proverbs
Quotes
Who knows any proverbs or quotes about teff? Please send me a message.
Did you know that?
- Teff is the smallest grain in the world. The grains are just over 1 mm long and less than a mm wide.
- Teff has a very high nutritional quality. It contains a lot of protein, calcium and iron.
- 1000 teff seeds have a weight of about 0.3 to 0.4 grams.
Teff recipes
Injera
Ingredients:
Ground teff (3 cups)
Water (4 cups)
Salt (to taste)
Vegetable oil (for the skillet)
How to prepare:
Mix the teff, water and salt together in a bowl and stir to get a smooth batter without lumps. Cover and let it rest for one to three days. This will allow the dough to ferment, which will give the injera a slightly sour taste.
For cooking the injera, heat up a large skillet and add a bit of oil to prevent sticking, The dough should be rather loose like that for a pancake. Pour a thin layer of batter on the hot skillet in a circular motion, covering the entire surface. As the injera starts to cook you will see little bubbles rising to the surface. Once the top of the injera is dry it is ready. You only cook one side of the injera. Note that the cooked side should not be allowed to get brown. The injera should be soft, not crispy. Let it cool down. Then serve with meat or vegetables.
Find here some Ethiopian food recipes.