This traditional Bedouin bread, found in the United Arab Emirates and other Arab Gulf countries, is today enhanced with ingredients not generally available to the Bedouin of the past. However, as it has been for centuries, it remains today a delightful sweet bread that is comparable to a crepe, though it uses a yeasted batter. Especially excellent for breakfast, the bread can be served warm for all meals, accompanied by cheese, dates, jam, syrup, honey or eggs. Creamy Yogurt Spread (page 29) and Labana Balls (page 29) go well with this bread, especially when freshly made. Chubab is even tastier when a little melted butter is spread over the warm pancake.
MAKES: 12 pancakes
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
STANDING TIME: 2 hours 10 minutes
COOKING TIME: 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- 11/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60 g) whole-wheat flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 4 tablespoons date syrup
- 1/2 cup (125 g) store-bought or Homemade
- Plain Yogurt
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted, plus extra to drizzle on pancakes
- 1/4 oz/7 g (1 envelope) active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar dissolved in
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) warm water and allowed to stand for 10 minutes
- 2 cups (500 ml) warm water
- Butter, for greasing the skillet
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place all the ingredients, except the butter for greasing, in a food processor and process until very smooth. The batter should be thinner than pancake batter; add extra water if necessary. Cover with a tea towel and let stand in a warm place for about 2 hours.
- Lightly grease a small skillet with the butter and set over medium heat. Cooking one pancake at a time, place tablespoons of the batter into the hot skillet and quickly spread out the batter with the back of a small spoon to create a thin pancake. When bubbles form on the top, turn the pancake over and cook until the underside turns golden brown. Repeat with the rest of the batter. Drizzle a little melted butter on the warm Chubab and serve immediately.
