A Yemenite Shabbat Recipe… For Breakfast

Looking to shake things up at the Shabbos table this week? The Scroll’s got you covered.

Kubaneh, a steamed bread that’s served for breakfast, is a traditional Yemenite dish that’s typically cooked on Friday afternoon to be ready for Saturday morning.

This recipe comes courtesy of Carol Ungar, author of Jewish Soul Food: Traditional Fare and What It Means.

Ingredients:

7-8 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp dry yeast (25 grams)

1 Tbsp salt

3 cups water (approximately)

3 Tbsp sugar

⅔ cup butter or margarine, softened (the original recipe used ghee which is clarified butter)

4 whole tomatoes

salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except for margarine (or butter). Slowly add water.

2. Knead the dough it should be soft and sticky. Cover dough and leave to rise (rising times depends on weather. In the summer it can rise in under an hour.)

3. Punch down and let rise. Punch down a second time. Let rise once again.

4. Divide dough into eight balls. Cut margarine or butter into eight pieces. Roll each dough ball flat so that it resembles a pita. Insert a ball of margarine in the center and fold dough around in the shape of a ball. Grease the walls in a large oven proof pot and place dough balls inside. The dough should fit half the pot, so that there is plenty of room to rise.

5. Leave the dough for another hour to rise.

6. Cover with lid. Some people cover the whole pot with heavy duty aluminum foil.

7. Bake for thirty minutes at 180° C or 350° F. Lower heat to 110° C or 230° F and bake overnight.

8. To make the tomato dip: Peel four tomatoes (you can poach them in boiling water and then peel or just peel with a knife).

9. Grate tomatoes with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with kubaneh.