Himbasha is an Ethiopian sweet bread that is best-known as a bread eaten for celebratory events. It can also be served for breakfast following Sunday mass. This traditional flatbread is decorated in a circular wheel pattern and served in triangular pieces like a pie. There are many varieties of himbasha, but the most popular type is flavored with cardamom, as in the recipe below, which was brought to America with East African immigrants.
Recipe Servings: 8
Prep Time
45 minutes
+ 1 hour resting
+ 1 hour resting
Cook Time
40 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 25 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
Directions
- Add yeast to lukewarm water and stir until yeast dissolves.
- Stir in sugar and set aside in a warm place for 5–10 minutes, until mixture becomes foamy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, 1 tsp salt, black sesame seeds, and cardamom. Add oil and yeast mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to form a dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, turn dough out and knead for 5 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in a bowl lightly sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place until dough doubles in size, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Divide dough into two equal portions and roll out to form rounds ¾ inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
- Place rounds into two 12-inch greased, ovenproof skillets.
- Using a sharp knife, score three concentric circles in each round, working from the middle out. Then make four shallow cuts intersecting through the center to form a wheel pattern.
- Brush with oil and bake for around 20 minutes, until cooked through and golden.
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