Somali · bread

Sabaayad (Somali Layered Flatbread)

Sabaayad (Somali Layered Flatbread) reads sweetness 6.4, richness 4.9 and salinity 3.6 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Somali bread, about 1 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 3.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 6.4 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 0.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.1 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 5.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 0.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sweetness 6.4 · Richness 4.9 · Salinity 3.6 · Nutty 1.7 · Earthy 1.0 · Umami 0.6 · Bitterness 0.6

What's in it (8)

• all-purpose flour — 375 g
• whole wheat flour — 120 g
• baking powder — 5 g
• granulated sugar — 25 g
• salt — 5 g
• regular milk — 500 g
• vegetable oil — 28 g
• vegetable oil — 166 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 30 min (50 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 444.4 kcal, 19.6 g protein, 16.8 g fat, 54.2 g carbs

Dietary: Vegetarian · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Sift the whole wheat flour and combine it with the all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a wide bowl.
2. Pour in the hot milk in a steady stream while mixing with a spoon for 5 minutes. The milk should be hot enough that you cannot comfortably hold a finger in it - this is what gives sabaayad its tenderness.
3. When the dough is cool enough to handle, knead it for a full 15 minutes, until it is completely smooth and elastic. This is the longest knead in the Somali repertoire and there is no shortening it.
4. Coat the dough with the 30 ml of oil, put it in a bag or covered bowl, and rest it 30 to 45 minutes at room temperature.
5. Divide the dough into 8 pieces. Roll one out into a thin rectangle, brush it generously with oil from the laminating measure, then fold it into a long strip, coil the strip into a spiral and press it flat. The oil trapped between the folds is what makes the layers separate.
6. Roll the coiled piece out again to a round about 20 cm across, and repeat with the rest.
7. Cook one at a time on a preheated skillet over medium heat. When bubbles rise, about 1 minute, flip it and spoon a tablespoon of oil underneath.
8. Drop the heat to low and press the edges down with a spatula, then flip four or five more times without adding oil, 4 to 5 minutes total, until both sides are freckled deep brown and the bread flakes when you tear a corner.
9. Stack the finished breads in a covered container so they steam each other soft. Serve with suqaar or a goat stew.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Festival — Jamaican
• Spoonbread — Southern
• Greek Pita Bread — Greek
• Tarte aux Pralines Roses — French · Lyon
• Arepa de Choclo con Quesito — Colombian

Keep reading: what sweetness, richness, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.