Ethiopian meals are eaten without utensils. Instead, injera, a soft spongy pancake-like bread is used. Injera is made in large circles which are used in two ways for the meal. First, one or two injera are placed on the bottom of a large tray. Various stews are spooned on top in small mounds. To eat, pieces are torn off of extra injera and used to scoop up the food. After the injera are consumed, the injera bread that lines the tray is eaten. This is the tastiest part, because the injera on the plate has soaked up the juice and flavor of each stew.
Injera is made from a fermented sourdough batter. In this way, it has a slightly tangy flavor and a wonderful light and airy texture. It is not dense at all. It is traditionally made from a grain called teff, a staple in Ethiopia. Teff flour can be found in most health food stores. If you can locate packaged injera from a local grocer, buy that; it is authentic and delicious. You can usually get about 7 injera in a package for 5 bucks. I've read and heard countless times how incredibly hard it is to make injera, so I always buy or order mine premade.
This is what a platter looks like when it is arranged. The injera sits directly on the plate (usually a round enameled tray) and is covered with delicious stews. The items are usually placed symmetrically around a central item. The stews are eaten with other injera which are kept on a side plate or napkin, usually served folded into quarters