Sabaayad - Flatbread

This month for Mena Cooking Club I am making a Sabaayad flatbread Djibouti ( we revisiting) which is commonly made in Djibouti and well as Somialia.

This is versatile bread that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, with just anything. like fried egg, stew or even wraps . After making this bread, I reaslised this is similar to the paratha that we make in India and also similar to the Heavy Paratha that I have already posted. In this paratha I have used butter so this is more crispy and flaky. Whereas the sabaayad is flaky and soft. 

Since I, have used half and half of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour, this makes the Sabaayad healty, flaky and soft ... not chewy / rubbery .

Ingredients
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Cups Wholemeal Wheat Flour
2 Tablespoon Oil
½ Teaspoon Salt
1.1/3 to 1.1/2 Cups Water to knead the dough
Desi Ghee as required
Flour for dusting the work surface as required

Method

Mix all the flours together with the salt. Add the oil and mix in thoroughly. Add in the water slowly as you knead the dough. The dough should soft and smooth. Cover the dough and let it rest for about an hour.

How to shape the square sabaayad. See step by step pic.

Cut the dough into eight equal portions.( or size is your own choice) and roll them into balls. Keep covered with a moist cloth. 

Dust one ball with dry flour and roll it out to a round thick circle.

Brush the circle with ghee

Fold one side till the center , apply ghee lightly on fold 

Then the other side to over lap the first fold, apply ghee lightly on this fold too

then fold the side too till the center

The fold the other side to overlap the first one and now this become a square. 

In the meantime place a griddle or tava on low flame to heat. 

Roll out this into a big square. It should be rolled from center outwards so that the edges are thinner than the center. Keep dusting the work surface with flour on both sides a couple of time during this process. Parathas should be a little thick (see pic).

Place the paratha on the hot griddle/tava .

Flip it over, after a minute or two and cook this side till brown dots appear and then again flip and cook this side the same way.

Press paratha gently all over with a flat spatula or a cotton cloth, if you see any steam escaping, seal it by pressing it gently, making it balloon up. Brush a little ghee on both surfaces. 

Wrap the flaky sabaayad in a cloth to keep it warm and soft. Serve while hot. 

 I got 8 flat breads , we had it for breakfast and the remaining for dinner with sabji. This goes well with any curry or sabji .

Labels : Sabaayad, Flatbread, Djibouti, Mena Cooking Club, An InLinkz Link-up

Skoudehkaris

September 10, 2014

This month's in Mena Cooking Club, we are making Djibouti food.  Our host Amira chose two different recipes one sweet and one savory.  In the savory she gave us a choice a Somali Soup or Skoudehkaris. I chose to make the National dish of Djibouti - Skoudehkaris. The original recipe is taken from here, with step by step pictures and method.

Skoudehkaris is basically a seasoned meat and classic one-pot stew of lamb or beef cooked in a spiced tomato-based sauce with rice, that would be traditionally be cooked over a fire nomadic style.

A little information about Djibouti. Facing, as it does, the narrowest point of the Persian Gulf, Djibouti lies in a strategic position. It has been used as a landing point for vessels following the Spice Trade for many centuries. As a result, as well as native cuisines (which are very similar to those of neighbouring Ethiopia) Djibouti also has strong Arabic, Indian and British influences. The Portugese also brought the techniques of roasting and marinating foods to this country. Arabs introduced saffron, cinnamon, pomegranate juice and other spices to the country and exotic Asian fruit like pineapple, lemon, orange and limes as well as New World foods like bell peppers, chillies, tomatoes and maize are common. The Djiboutienne staple is a flatbread called Injeera, which is used to wrap various meat and vegetable dishes.

When Mena emailed that I, could participate in this event with the details is was very excited.  When I checked the dish that had to prepare,  all childhood memories came to my mind.  I started telling my husband, childhood stories about eating mutton.  I use not eat mutton and did  not like the smell of it being cooked in the house.  My mother use to cook the mutton and the broth she used to give me, which I disliked, hence I used to get punished for not having it. I never ate mutton till I got married.  How I started eating it after my marriage is big story which I, will definitely tell you in another post. 

Since the recipe was already given to us I, decided not make any changes and use it as given.  I only reduced the quantity of mutton and rice since I, am the only one eating mutton in the house.  Here is how I made it.

Ingredients

2oo Grams Mutton with bones  -  cubed
1  Large Onion -  chopped
1 Tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1/2 Teaspoon  Cumin seeds
4 Cloves
2 Cardamom
1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne powder or Chilly powder

2 Inch Stick of Cinnamon
2 Large  Ripe Tomatoes - Skinned and diced
800 Ml  Water

A cube of soup seasoning
1/4  Cup Long-grain Rice - washed
Salt & Pepper to taste

Method 

In a griddle lightly roast the cumin, cloves, cardamon and cinnamon.  Grind this to a fine powder.

Heat a large pan with oil, add onions and cook till they are translucent.  Add in the lamb and push the onions to the sides of the pan so that the meat can get contact with the pan, brown it a little. Add the ground spices, cayenne powder and stir fry it for a second. Now, add in the tomatoes and water. Cover and simmer for an hour or until the meat is tender.

After an hour add the rice and again cover and cook for 20 minutes or until rice is cooked.

This brothy stew is ready.  Taste, then add salt and pepper.  Serve hot garnished with chopped coriander leaves.

The aroma of this stew while cooking is awesome.  I just covered the pan with aluminium foil and left it on slow flame to simmer.   It does not require any attention. After I, added the rice,  gave it a quick stir, covered it foil and  left it to simmer on slow flame until the rice is tender.  This serves as a meal for 2.  As I was enjoying this stew, remembered all the trouble I gave my mother and said "Sorry Mummy". 

The remaining  I, had next day with 2 slices of garlic bread and it tasted even more delicious.  So enjoy this dish, or as they say in Djibouti, بالهنا والشفا! (bil-hanā' wa ash-shifā') or Bon appétit!

 
Check Out Other Members Recipes Here.


Labels: Mutton, Continental Cuisine, Mena Cooking Club, Djibouti, Soup

Banana Fritters - Whole wheat

September 10, 2014

This month's in Mena Cooking Club, we are making Djibouti food.  Our host Amira chose two different recipes one sweet and one savory.  This is the sweet recipe.

Ingredients:
4 Ripened Bananas
1/4 Cup Wheat flour
1 Teaspoon full sugar

2 Tablespoons water
1/4 Teaspoon nutmeg powder

A pinch Cardamon powder

Oil for frying

Method

Mash bananas in a blender,  add the flour, sugar, water, and nutmeg. Add water, if needed, to make batter of pancake consistency. Mix well and fry like pancakes in an oiled frying pan until golden brown. 

We had this for breakfast they tasted nice but were very dense.

Makes 8 large fritters since I used a ring mould to make them round.

Check out other members recipes here.

Linking this post "Come, join us for Breakfast" event .

Labels: Breakfast, Come join us for Breakfast, Djibouti, Mena Cooking Club, Continental Cuisine, Eggless

You might also like to look at Jamaican Banana Fritters.