Photos: Masjid al Haram Mecca & Young boy enjoying a pita sandwich in Saudi Arabia on the Eid.
I have to admit, fresh, warm, homemade bread is one of my biggest vices. I never met a loaf I didn't like...from Middle Eastern pitas to French baguettes and Italian pane...they're all wonderful. When I travelled to Saudi Arabia in 2007, however, I never imagined that I would find such great bread. I sampled everything from the traditional thick, stamped flatbreads of the Najd region, to the Meccan pitas and even Pakistani chapatis (which are closely related to Indian Naan). The Pakistani chapati quickly became my favorite. Check out this video to learn how to make it on your own in just 3 short clips!
Even if you think you can't bake....this is the bread for you. Keep in mind that it lends itself to many flavors-so you don't have to serve it with Pakistani food alone. Try it with cheese for breakfast, hummus and yesterday's fuul medammes recipe for a light lunch or dinner, or kababs for a satisfying meal. Let me know what you think....in the meantime....join me tomorrow for clips cooking Saudi food with my friend Rawia, a Saudi American nutritionist and fashion designer!
Sesame Chapati Bread
(Khubz Chabati bi SimSim)
Chapati was introduced to the Arabian Peninsula by Pakistani immigrants who moved to the region after the economic boom in the late twentieth century. Now it is an integral part of Arabian cuisine, just as it is in its native homeland.
I first experienced sesame chapati at the Jeddah Conference Palace in Saudi Arabia, where it was made in a hot clay oven, called a tandoor. One of the bakers at the palace would prepare
chapati daily for the kitchen staff and servers, who were predominately from
Pakistan and Bangladesh. Waiters brought baskets of the hot, tender
bread studded with sesame seeds to each table. The bread became the
highlight of our meals while we were in Jeddah.
If you’ve never made bread before, don’t hesitate to try this
recipe. The soft and buttery dough is a real treat to work with!
***Fresh yeast can usually be found near the butter in the dairy
case at supermarkets.
Ghee can be found in Indian, international, and Middle Eastern markets.
Ingredients:
2 cups unbleached white bread flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (0.6-ounce) package fresh yeast*
5 tablespoons clarified butter (ghee), divided
1 large egg
1/2 cup sesame seeds
Preparation:
Sift flour and salt together in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, cream the yeast with 4 tablespoons lukewarm
water and let rest for 15 minutes.
Add yeast mixture, 1/2 cup lukewarm water, 3 tablespoons
clarified butter, and egg to the flour and mix well to
combine. Continue mixing until a soft dough forms.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for
10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Place in a large bowl that has been lightly greased with clarified
butter. Turn dough to coat, and cover with lightly
greased plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm, draft-free place
for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
Preheat the broiler. Lightly grease a sheet of aluminum foil
large enough to cover the bottom of the broiler.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and punch
down. Divide into four equal pieces and shape into balls.
(Dough may be frozen at this point.) Roll the dough out
into oval shapes approximately 7 inches long and 4
inches wide. Place two pieces of dough onto aluminum
foil. Brush more clarified butter on top of each oval and
sprinkle with sesame seeds. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or
until lightly golden and puffed up. Turn over, brush with
butter, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Continue to
broil for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden. Repeat
with remaining two pieces of dough.
Serve warm or cool. Wrap in plastic and then aluminum foil
to freeze.
Serves 4.
Tip: Although chapati is traditionally served fresh out of the
oven, it also freezes well. Try doubling this recipe and
freezing the extra half. Defrost the bread when needed, and
reheat under the broiler for 1 minute.
You can also freeze the dough, defrost it, and proceed with
the rest of the recipe another time.
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