2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29
Tef / Eragrostis zuccagni tef / is an African cereal plant that is not grown worldwide, but is a major cereal in Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Tef looks like millet, but its seeds are much smaller and cook faster. It's considered that tef has a sour taste because very often in the past it was consumed fermented. The African wheat plant is a very old cereal and is one of the smallest in the world.
The African cereal plant can grow in the wild, as well as in an environment unfavorable to other cereals. In the natural environment, however, the tef harvest is very small.
Growing tef
Tef is widely grown and used in South Africa, Eritrea and Ethiopia, Australia and India. Requires very little care during the growing season. During its rapid growth, it suffocates all weeds.
Few diseases and pests attack the plant and it can be safely said that the production is good without fertilization. In all cases, however, it is well influenced by fertilization. In Ethiopia make good soil preparation, use of selected seeds, fertilization, weeding and sowing at the optimal time.
The African cereal adapts very well to environments that range from highly arid to over-humidified soil conditions.
Harvesting the grain from teff is easy and the collected material can be easily stored for years in traditional warehouses without the risk of damage by pests. This makes teff a very valuable cereal in the fight against hunger.
Composition of tef
The African wheat plant contains a lot of iron and dietary fiber, an excellent source of calcium and protein. It also contains zinc, boron, copper, barium, thiamine. Teff contains three times more calcium than any other whole grain product and twice as much iron.
It's considered that tef has an excellent amino acid composition, including all 8 essential amino acids. The lysine content in the plant is higher than in wheat and barley. One of the most valuable qualities of teff is that it does not contain gluten.
Selection and storage of tef
In our country, the African wheat plant can be found in the form of flour, which can be purchased from specialty and organic stores. Organic flour costs about BGN 6 for 500 g. It is stored in a ventilated and dry place.
Cooking tef
The Ethiopians are cooking tef in the form of pancakes or flat bread. The pancake is the basis of Ethiopian cuisine and is called injera.
Except tef, the original ingredients include salt, water and oil for the baking tray. The injera itself is baked in a few minutes, but it takes 24 hours to prepare. This is the time required for the fermentation of the thin dough.
In this process, gas bubbles are formed, which during the heat treatment give the specific perforated consistency of the injector. The role of injera in Ethiopian cuisine is not one.
It has three purposes - bread not only on the table, but also on the plate, because it is poured all the dishes for lunch and dinner.
A torn piece of the injera serves as a spoon, with which, in combination with the fingers of the right hand, a bite of the rest of the food is taken.
Benefits of tef
The biggest advantage of tef is that it does not contain gluten, which makes it a valuable food for people suffering from gluten intolerance. The African wheat plant also contains a number of important nutrients and amino acids that the human body needs.
The nutritional profile of tef is very rich, so it has a well-deserved place on the table. The African wheat plant is still gaining widespread popularity and is beginning to emerge as the gluten-free wheat of the future. This is due not only to its valuable nutritional qualities, but also to its easy cultivation and storage.
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