Himbasha

It is scored into a wheel of spokes before it goes into the oven.

Vegetarian, but not vegan — contains dairy (butter), honey.

Ingredients

• 500 g plain flour
• 7 g dried yeast
• 60 g sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 60 g butter, melted
• 100 g raisins
• about 280 ml warm water
• 1 tablespoon honey, for brushing

Method

1. IT IS SCORED INTO A WHEEL OF SPOKES BEFORE IT GOES INTO THE OVEN. Its article describes the one thing that makes it recognisable: THE DOUGH IS GIVEN A DECORATIVE TOUCH BEFORE BAKING, and the design, though it varies, IS GIVEN THE SHAPE OF A WHEEL WITH INDENTATIONS TO CREATE SEVERAL SPOKES.
2. AND THE SCORING IS STRUCTURAL AS WELL AS DECORATIVE. The indentations hold the loaf down where they are pressed, so it rises in wedges, and the wedges are how it is torn apart at the table.
3. IT IS A SLIGHTLY SWEET BREAD, NOT A CAKE. The article's words are a celebration bread THAT IS SLIGHTLY SWEET. Sixty grams of sugar in half a kilo of flour is the line between the two.
4. CARDAMOM IS THE SPICE, AND THE ARTICLE NAMES THE OTHERS AS OPTIONS. COMMON ADDITIONS INCLUDE CANDIED ORANGE, GINGER, OR GROUND CARDAMOM SEEDS, ALTHOUGH PLAIN VARIETIES ARE NOT UNHEARD OF.
5. THE RAISINS ARE THE ERITREAN HAND. The article separates the two main varieties as the Ethiopian one and THE MORE DISTINCTIVE ERITREAN FLAVORING WITH RAISINS. Leave them out and it is still himbasha.
6. MIX AND KNEAD TO A SOFT DOUGH, THEN RISE FOR AN HOUR. The melted butter goes in after the water, or the dough will not take it.
7. SHAPE IT INTO ONE FLAT ROUND ABOUT THREE CENTIMETRES DEEP. A flat round, not a domed loaf: the spokes need a surface to be pressed into.
8. PRESS THE SPOKES IN WITH THE EDGE OF YOUR HAND AND A KNUCKLE AT THE CENTRE. Right down to the tin, firmly, because a shallow mark closes up as it proves.
9. SECOND RISE OF THIRTY MINUTES, THEN A HOT OVEN FOR TWENTY-FIVE. Two hundred degrees. Brush it with honey as it comes out, while it is hot enough to take the shine.

Our own recipe. This one was written for this site rather than taken from anywhere, so there is no source to point you at. The quantities and the order of the steps are choices, not the only way to do it.

Filed under Ethiopia · All recipes