Himbasha

The story

Himbasha is a Ethiopian dessert with a clear sense of place. Himbasha, also called ambasha, is a celebratory Ethiopian and Eritrean bread, often mildly sweet and aromatic with cardamom. Decorative scoring makes the loaf immediately recognisable. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Ingredients

• 500 g strong white flour
• 7 g instant yeast
• 65 g caster sugar
• 1.5 tsp ground cardamom
• 8 g fine salt
• 290 ml warm water
• 45 ml neutral oil
• 20 g sesame seedsoptional

Method

1. Mix flour, yeast, sugar, cardamom and salt

   Mix flour, yeast, sugar, cardamom and salt. Add warm water and oil and knead 8–10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

   Look for: the dough is smooth and elastic Tip: Keep the dough soft and use oiled hands rather than adding flour whenever possible. Avoid: Too much flour makes the bread dry; shallow scoring disappears; cutting hot compresses the crumb.

2. Cover and rise for 60–75 minutes until

   Cover and rise for 60–75 minutes until nearly doubled. Knock back gently and shape into one thick round about 25 cm wide.

   Look for: nearly doubled

3. Transfer to a lined tray and flatten

   Transfer to a lined tray and flatten evenly to about 2.5 cm. Use a blunt knife to score a wheel or lattice pattern deeply enough to remain visible after proofing but not through the dough.

4. Cover loosely and prove another 25–30 minutes

   Cover loosely and prove another 25–30 minutes. Heat the oven to 190°C. Brush the surface lightly with water or oil and scatter sesame seeds if using.

5. Bake 25–30 minutes until deep golden and

   Bake 25–30 minutes until deep golden and the underside sounds hollow when tapped. If colouring too quickly, reduce the oven to 180°C for the final 10 minutes.

   Look for: deep golden and the underside sounds hollow when tapped

6. Cool on a rack before tearing or

   Cool on a rack before tearing or slicing. The crumb sets as steam escapes and the cardamom becomes more fragrant as the bread cools.

   Look for: The loaf is evenly golden, sounds hollow underneath and springs back slowly when pressed.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated from the listed ingredients and default serving size. Actual values vary with brands, trimming, absorption and cooking losses.