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Ambasha (Himbasha) Recipe

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5 from 14 reviews

Ambasha, also known as Himbasha, is on of Ethiopia’s most popular breads that is frequently made for holidays like Christmas as well as other noteworthy events and festivities. It can, however, also make a fantastic snack or even breakfast. A typical Ambasha has cardamom, raisins, and black sesame seeds as flavorings, making it a pleasantly sweet and savory bread.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 cups (1.4 liters / 750g) of wheat flour
  • 1.5 tbsp (22.5 ml / 9g) of active dry yeast
  • 2 tsp (10 ml / 4g) of powdered Korerima (Ethiopian Cardamom)
  • 0.35 cup (84 ml / 70g) sugar
  • 0.5 cup (120 ml / 113g) Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian clarified butter)
  • 2 tbsp (30 ml / 12g) Tikur Azmud (Nigella Seeds)
  • 2 cups (480 ml) of water (lukewarm)
  • 1 tbsp (15 ml / 18g) Salt

For Brushing:

  • 3 tbsp (45 ml) of milk
  • 3 tbsp (45 ml / 42g) of Niter Kibbeh (Ethiopian clarified butter)

Instructions

  1. Start by adding the wheat flour, Tikur Azmud, powdered Korerima, and sugar into a stand mixer and mix them all together thoroughly.
  2. Dig an opening in the center of the mixture, add the dry yeast along with a cup of lukewarm water, and mix them together as well. Then let the mixture sit for about 15 min.
  3. Then, add the Niter Kibbeh and continue mixing at low to medium speed while adding the remaing water slowly until you get a consistently soft dough. Then add the salt and continue mixing for about 5 min. at medium speed.
  4. Transfer the dough onto a work surface that has been lightly floured, cover using clean sheet of cloth, and place in a warm draft-free area for about 90 min. for the first rise.
  5. Next, divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and roll them into a circle shape of about 12 inches in diameter, each.
  6. Place each dough in a circular baking pan, cover using a clean sheet of cloth again, and let them sit in a warm draft-free area for about 10 min. again for the second rise.
  7. In the mean time, preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F).
  8. Before backing the 2 Ambasha breads, mark around 5 concentric circles on each dough using a knife, starting from the center and moving to the edge.
  9. Then start making cuts across dough from one edge to the other passing through the center, just like when cutting pizza. In the end, you should have decorative patterns that resemble a wheel pattern.
  10. Next, mix the milk and Niter Kibbeh set aside for brushing in a separate bowl, mix them well, and brush both doughs.
  11. Finally, bake the doughs for about 30 min. each, until they are thoroughly cooked and get a golden-brown.

Notes

  • When marking the dough, don’t cut through the dough. Keep the markings just at the surface level.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://ethiopianroots.com/ambasha-himbasha-recipe/