t. flour

Teff flour is milled from the tiny seeds of teff grass (Eragrostis tef), an ancient grain native to the highlands of Ethiopia and Eritrea. The seeds are among the smallest of all grains, each plant producing approximately 7,000 seeds per pound. The flour has a slightly sweet, earthy, and nutty flavor profile with subtle notes of chocolate or cocoa. Teff flour is naturally whole grain because the seeds are so small that they cannot be effectively refined; consequently, all milled teff flour contains the nutrient-rich bran, germ, and endosperm. The color ranges from white to red to brown depending on the variety of teff seed used.

Teff has been cultivated for over 5,000 years and remains a staple crop in Ethiopia, where it is primarily used to produce injera, a spongy flatbread essential to traditional Ethiopian cuisine.

Teff flour is most celebrated as the primary ingredient in injera, the characteristic Ethiopian flatbread with its distinctive porous, spongy texture that ferments naturally and serves as both plate and utensil in Ethiopian dining. Beyond injera, teff flour is increasingly used in contemporary baking as a whole-grain flour addition to bread doughs, porridges, and pancakes. Its slight sweetness and complex flavor make it suitable for both savory and sweet applications. The flour absorbs liquid readily and produces a dense crumb, making it best used in combination with other flours rather than as a complete substitute, typically comprising 10-30% of flour blends in Western baking contexts.