Eating gluten free – What is teff and what do I do with it?

Teff is a gluten-free cereal originating from northern Ethiopia. It contains high levels of calcium, iron, fiber and other important nutrients. Teff flour can be used with other flours for gluten-free baked goods and, as a whole grain, is made into a nutty-flavored porridge. The main risk of cross-contamination arises during grinding; it must be milled with equipment used only for gluten-free flour.

Teff is a grain that originates from northern Ethiopia, where it is the main grain used to make injera, a pancake-like bread. It has tiny seeds (about 1 mm or about 1/32 of an inch) that look nothing like the seeds of wheat, rye, or barley. With such tiny seeds, it is very difficult to separate the bran from the inner endosperm, so teff flour is usually made from the whole grain.

Teff is high in calcium and also contains phosphorous, iron, copper, aluminium, barium and thiamin (vitamin B1). Teff is high in protein and fiber, especially when compared to gluten-free “white” flours: white rice, cornstarch, and tapioca starch.

You can replace some of the flour in your gluten-free baked goods with teff to add flavor and nutrients. Teff has a slightly sweet, nutty flavor. You may want to start by adding teff to your muffin or bread recipes. If you like the flavor, increase the amount of teff.

You might also like to try the teff pancakes. You will find many recipes available. Make sure you choose a gluten-free recipe because you will find some that call for wheat flour. Many of the recipes posted are vegan, but you will also find recipes that include eggs and milk if you prefer.

You can also try teff porridge. It is made with teff seeds instead of flour. Some people roast the seeds briefly before adding water to enhance the nutty flavor. Most recipes call for four parts water to one part teff along with some sort of sweetener and a bit of salt. Simmer about 20 minutes or until the water is completely absorbed. If the porridge gets too thick, add a little more water or milk.

Traditionally, teff is used to make injera, an Ethiopian flatbread. Teff flour, water, and a sourdough-like starter or yeast are allowed to ferment at room temperature, then mixed with a little salt and cooked with a small amount of oil. Injera flatbread is used both as a dish and as an eating utensil in traditional stews. If you try injera at a restaurant, make sure no gluten flours have been used in the entree or to modify the texture of the bread.

Because teff seeds are much smaller than wheat or barley seeds, the only real concern of cross-contamination with teff arises when it is ground into flour. It is virtually impossible to clean equipment used to mill wheat well enough to mill gluten-free grains without cross-contamination. As a gluten-free consumer, this means you have to go the extra mile to make sure your flour is safe. Be sure to ask the manufacturer if the teff was ground on shared equipment. If they buy the teff in bulk and repackage it, go all the way back to the milling company.