logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2014
26m 56s

Ethiopian Teff - An Ancient Grain

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Teff has been grown in Ethiopia for Millennia. Traditionally, it's ground, milled, mixed with water and fermented for days to make the sour staple flatbread injera.

Cultivation of this mysterious and tiny grain has been concentrated in Ethiopia for thousands of years. But now that's changing as the health-conscious Western world realise the nutritional secrets this crop might bestow.

In this edition of the Food Programme, Sheila Dillon meets UK entrepreneurs bringing foods, normally seen as Ethiopian to new diners, and speaks to experts to hear how the rise in popularity of teff is affecting the farmers back home.

Up next
Sep 10
What the Normans did for our diet
On BBC Radio 4 we’re marking the arrival of the Bayeux Tapestry in London by exploring the impact of the Norman invasion. In this programme, food historian Dr Annie Gray travels to Normandy to investigate how the Norman Conquest changed what we eat and drink.The Normans crossed t ... Show More
42m 21s
Sep 4
A Day in the Life of a School Catering Manager
School food is back in the spotlight, and as governments across the UK look to improve what children eat, what does it actually take to change a school meals service?Jaega Wise spends a day with Andrew Cowan, Catering Manager at Bury Council, whose team serves around 10,000 meals ... Show More
42m 24s
Aug 28
Fork and Knife
"One day we will eat with a knife and fork."As they were growing up, it's a phrase Ify Adenuga repeated to her children, including the grime artists Skepta and JME. The saying would later inspire the title of Skepta's 2026 album Fork & Knife, which he has described as being roote ... Show More
41m 37s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
#105 Teffola: Granola Guy Approved
A few years ago, Claire Smith moved back to her family farm, where they practice sustainable farming, and created Teffola. It’s granola made with an ancient Ethiopian grain called teff, which is filled with lots of protein, fiber, iron, and calcium. The only problem is… no one’s ... Show More
33m 36s
Apr 2022
False banana: A new superfood?
As the spectre of food insecurity grows and climate change threatens lives and livelihoods, could enset play a part in assuaging hunger? Elizabeth Hotson delves into the many and varied properties of a crop consumed mainly in parts of Ethiopia and she asks how it might be possibl ... Show More
18m 36s
Apr 2022
Ethiopia
Anthony Bourdain visits Addis Ababa to sample injera bread, beyaynetu platters, coffee and music with chef Marcus Samuelsson. Original Airdate: Season 6, 2015. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod ... Show More
47m 3s
Nov 2022
Ethiopia's Gift to the World
In Ethiopia, the birthplace of Arabica coffee, Ethiopians spend hours roasting and brewing coffee in their living rooms. But, have you ever heard of the Ethiopian coffee ceremony? If not, you are not alone. Get ready, dear listeners, because James is going to take you, Scott, and ... Show More
38m 20s
Jan 2025
Selects: The Quinoa Revolution!
Quinoa is a trendy food, right alongside kale and anything else farm to table. But it's really an ancient grain. Although it's not exactly a grain at all. Technically it's a pseudo-cereal. But it is tasty and nutritious, a true superfood. Learn all about the food with the funny n ... Show More
44m 7s
Nov 2020
How quinoa can help combat hunger and malnutrition | Cedric Habiyaremye
On a mission to create a hunger-free world, agricultural entrepreneur Cedric Habiyaremye makes the case for cultivating quinoa -- and other versatile, nutrient-rich grains -- in places experiencing malnutrition, like his native Rwanda. He shares a model to help smallholder farmer ... Show More
7m 22s
Sep 2023
A climate-resilient ancient grain with Pierre Thiam of Yolélé (2022)
Pierre Thiam is a renowned chef, restaurant owner, cookbook author, and co-founder of Yolélé – a company working to introduce the world to fonio, an ancient West African grain built for climate change.But it hasn't been all sunshine and good harvests for Pierre. In fact, he was r ... Show More
42m 19s
May 2024
Rhubarb Triangle (Classic)
<p>Farmers in Yorkshire, England take years to coax their rhubarb plants into a world-renowned delicacy using a century-old technique. </p><p><strong>READ MORE IN THE ATLAS:</strong> <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/rhubarb-triangle">https://www.atlasobscura.com/place ... Show More
12m 37s
May 2022
The problem with wheat
Wheat is one of the most important grains worldwide: you’ll find it in bread, biscuits, pasta, sauces, sweets and more besides. Indeed, take wheat products off supermarket shelves and they would look rather bare. But recent global events – not least the war in Ukraine - have caus ... Show More
27m 17s
Feb 2023
It’s Millet Time!
<p>In today’s episode for 6th February 2023, we trace the history of millets in India and explain why it is the buzzword today.</p> 
7m 51s