COUNTRY: ERITREA
DISH: HEMBASHE
CONTRIBUTED BY: Embassy, Mission in Pretoria
Himbasha | H’mbasha | Ambasha, is an Ethiopian celebration bread, made for special occasions. It is a popular flatbread made for Christmas in Ethiopia and Eritrea. Himbasha is a mildly sweet leavened bread most commonly flavored with ground cardamom. The bread apart from being celebratory, can be made for breakfast or afternoon tea. It goes perfectly well with a cup of tea. There are many variations of the flavorings used in the Himbasha. Some use black sesame seeds while some use raisins. There is also a version made with fenugreek seeds.
Ingredients
450 grams wholewheat flour
½ – ¾ cup warm water
25 grams fresh yeast
½ tsp ground fenugreek seed
½ tsp ground coriander seed
½ tsp ground cardamom seed
½ tsp salt
egg
oil or butter
Method
In a large bowl, add the flour, yeast, salt, and ground seeds. Mix well to combine.
Slowly add warm water to make a soft dough.
Cover the bowl, allow the dough to rise in a warm place (1-1½ hours)/
Decorate the bread with a knife.
Bake the bread in a greased, covered frying pan for 10 minutes on a medium to low heat.
Turn over the bread and bake it for another 5 minutes.
Remove the bread from the frying pan and spread it with some water and butter.
Serve warm or cold in wedges.