Aish Merahrah

Aish Merahrah (Egyptian Maize Flatbread with Fenugreek)

A sour, faintly bitter flatbread from Upper Egypt, made with fermented fenugreek and maize flour. It keeps for days and is the everyday bread of towns along the Nile.

Prep

15 min

Cook

15 min

Total

30 min

Serves

4 flatbreads

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •300 g (10½ oz) yellow maize flour (fine or medium grind), Use dent maize flour if available; regular maize flour works.
• •4 g (1½ tsp) fenugreek seeds, Grind to a fine powder before use.
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt
• •400 ml (1¾ cups) water, At room temperature, divided.

Steps

1. 1 Grind the fenugreek seeds to a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
2. 2 In a large non-reactive bowl, mix the maize flour, ground fenugreek, and salt. Add 300 ml (1¼ cups) of the water and stir into a thick, sticky batter - it should be like a very thick pancake batter.
3. 3 Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or plastic wrap and leave at room temperature (20–25°C / 68–77°F) for 12–24 hours, until the batter is bubbly and smells pleasantly sour. Stir once after a few hours if convenient.
4. 4 The next day, stir in the remaining 100 ml (½ cup) of water, a little at a time, until the batter is like a thick crêpe batter - pourable but not runny. If it seems too thick, add a splash more water; if too thin, let it sit for 30 minutes to thicken.
5. 5 Heat a large cast-iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat until very hot (a drop of water dances and evaporates immediately). Do not oil the pan.
6. 6 Pour about ¾ cup (180 ml) of batter onto the hot surface and quickly spread it in a spiral motion with the back of a ladle to form a thin round, about 20–25 cm (8–10 in) in diameter. Work quickly.
7. 7 Cook for 2–3 minutes, until the top is set and the bottom is speckled with golden-brown spots. Flip carefully and cook for another 1–2 minutes on the second side, until dry and slightly puffed. The bread should be soft and pliable, not crisp.
8. 8 Transfer to a clean kitchen towel and wrap to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining batter, stirring the batter occasionally to keep it even. If the pan gets too hot, reduce the heat slightly to prevent burning.
9. 9 Serve warm with white cheese, ful medames, olives, or use as a wrap. Store any leftovers in a sealed bag at room temperature for up to 3 days; refresh in a dry skillet before serving.