Khubz Muluwah (Yemenite Layered Flatbread)

Khubz muluwah is a flaky flatbread widely baked and consumed in Yemen as well as in other parts of Arabia. It is traditionally made in an earthen oven (tannur), but can also be baked on a hot griddle.

Ingredients

• 4 cup of all-purpose wheat flour
• 2¼ cup of water
• 1 tbsp salt
• 200 g ghee or melted butter
• 3 tbsp black cumin (Nigella sativa)

Steps

1. Mix together flour and salt in large bowl.
2. Gradually mix in the water to make a dough with a uniform consistency.
3. Sprinkle with water, and let dough rest for 45 minutes.
4. Begin to work the dough again, stretching it and folding it over onto itself. Cover and let it rest for 15 minutes.
5. Place on cutting board, and cut into two equal parts. Shape each piece into a ball.
6. Use your hands to flatten the dough on a floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll it into a very thin round.
7. Brush the surface dough with ghee, and sprinkle lightly with black cumin.
8. Cut flattened dough into elongated strips and fold one end, lengthwise, over itself. Baste with ghee (or butter) and sprinkle with black cumin.
9. Repeat process with other ball of dough.
10. After both balls of dough have been flattened out and each one folded over itself in repeated folds (with added ghee and black cumin on each fold), combine the two elongated dough portions, placing one on top of the other.
11. Begin to roll up the dough from one end, just as one would do to a sleeping bag. After completely rolled-up, turn it so that it will lay down upon its side (with the coiled rings facing upward).
12. Once rolled-up in this fashion, cover and allow the dough to rest 15 minutes.
13. Take up dough and brush it with ghee (or butter) and sprinkle a little black cumin over its surface. Once again, roll-out the dough with a rolling pin (maintaining its round shape). Dust the flat surface with flour if needed, to prevent its sticking.
14. Take up the flattened dough and place on heated griddle. Add ghee once more and cook until golden on each side.

More recipes with flour or butter

Adapted from “Khubz Muluwah (Yemenite Layered Flatbread)” in the Wikibooks Cookbook by its contributors, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Reformatted for this site; this page's recipe text is shared under the same license.