Zanzibar Sesame Flatbread (Mkate Wa Ufuta)
The Zanzibar Sesame Flatbread known in Swahili as Mkate Wa Ufuta, is one of my all-time favorite flatbreads. It resembles a lot to the Indian Naan, but this yeast bread is enriched with coconut milk and sesame seeds rendering a unique flavor clearly from the tropics. The milk and egg yield such an addicting richness that one bite just isn't enough. This flatbread goes well as a side to most any rice dish, curry, and seafood. It would go great with a side of hummus. This traditional recipe was adapted from Leite’s Culinaria.
Servings: 6 flatbreads
Ingredients
- 3½ cups all-purpose flour 420 grams
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast 1 pkg, ¼ oz, or 7 grams
- 1½ tsp salt plus more to sprinkle on both flatbread sides
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp full-fat canned coconut milk plus more as needed
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup neutral oil (avocado, grapeseed, vegetable) 1½ oz or 50 grams
- 3 to 4 tbsp sesame seeds toasted or untoasted
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer bowl, if using, whisk together the flour, yeast, and salt. Stir in the coconut milk and egg just until combined. Run the stand mixer on low (for 10 minutes) or scoop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. At first, the dough will be dry, but it will smooth out after a few minutes. The dough will be dense and firm rather than spongy and soft like traditional bread dough. If the dough seems too dry, add another tablespoon of coconut milk as you knead.
- Once kneaded, cover the bowl of dough (or return the dough to the bowl) with plastic wrap and place it in a warm area to rest for about an hour. The dough will rise slightly and become puffy and soft, but it likely won’t double in size. However, the longer you let the dough rise in a warm the area, the lighter the dough will be.
- Divide and shape the dough into 6 balls. Roll by hand the dough into a log, cut in half, and cut each half into thirds. This will yield 6 relatively equal size balls of dough. Using a rolling pin, roll each ball into the size of a tortilla. The dough should be flat as it will puff and rise as it cooks. Brush the top side of each dough round fairly generously with oil, sprinkle each with sesame seeds and lightly with salt, Gently press the seeds and salt into the dough.
- Heat a large saute pan over high heat. After 30 seconds, check the heat by splashing a little water to see if it sizzles. If so, the pan is ready. Turn the heat down to medium and place a dough round in the skillet, sesame-side down, and cook until the top side bubbles up ever so slightly and the underside turns golden brown. This will take about 2 minutes. Brush the top surface of the uncooked dough with oil, sprinkle with some sesame seeds, and add a little salt. Flip the dough over to cook on the other side. The flatbread is ready with both sides are brown and the middle is cooked.
- Transfer the cooked flatbread to an ovenproof plate covered with foil. Place the cooked flatbread on the plate and cover with another piece of foil. Place in the oven set at 200˚F / 93˚C to keep warm. Continually add other flatbread as they are cooked. Be sure to wipe out the pan with paper towels between each flatbread to remove any sesame seeds to prevent them from burning. Serve the flatbread warm.
Notes
*Be sure to stir the coconut milk to ensure a smooth mix of coconut cream from the top of the can and the coconut water from the bottom of the can.
*Use a neutral (flavorless oil), however, you may try coconut oil to enhance the tropical, coconut flavor.
*Serve the flatbread warm with soups, stews, chilis, curries, seafood, hummus, alone, or slathered with butter.
*Freeze any uneaten flatbread and take out what you want when ready to eat it. Simply microwave it for 20-30 seconds plus more, if needed.