Shared by Elana Benjamin
Shared by Elana Benjamin
Kahi (Sweet and Flaky Flatbread)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 1 hour
Kahi (Sweet and Flaky Flatbread)
Yield: 8 servingsTime: 1 hourFamily Journey
Baghdad, IraqBombay (present-day Mumbai), India
Sydney, Australia
Despite its roots as a springtime harvest celebration, Shavuot is often celebrated with dairy-rich recipes like cheesecake or cheese-filled blintzes. But, in cookbook author Elana Benjamin’s Indian-Jewish community, the holiday is honored with kahi, a flaky flatbread that’s akin to an Indian paratha topped with powdered sugar.
Growing up, Elana’s mother would make the recipe on Shavuot in their home in Sydney and Elana and her brother would eat it straight out of the pan for breakfast. Like Elana’s community, the recipe has roots in Iraq, but evolved over the years. In her book “Indian-Jewish Food: Recipes and Stories from the Streets of Bondi," Elana explains: “The original Iraqi version involved rolling out kahi dough as thin as filo pastry, folding it in layers to make a square, then frying the square-shaped dough, drenching it in sugar syrup and topping it with clotted cream. In comparison, Indian-Jewish kahi is more a flaky flatbread doused with sugar.”
When she went to document the recipe for her book, Elana ran into a road block. Her mother hadn’t made it in years and when she asked around, she struggled to find community members who remembered how to make the dish. This recipe was given to her by her friend Lisa Ezekiel. Originally, it “belonged to Iraqi-born Tina Shemesh and was printed many years ago in Sydney’s Sephardi Synagogue newsletter,” Elana adds.
It’s best enjoyed straight from the pan, while it’s hot and just sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Read more about Elana’s family in The Sydney Backyard BBQs with Cricket and Indian-Iraqi Cooking and get her recipes for shiftas (kebabs), aloo bhaji (spiced potatoes) and agar-agar (rosewater jelly).
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- ½ cup and 2 tablespoons warm water, plus 2 tablespoons extra
- ¼ cup butter or margarine, melted
- Powdered sugar, for serving (optional)
Preparation
Step 1
Tear off 9 pieces of parchment paper, each 12 inches long, and set them aside.
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine flour, salt, vinegar, and water (including the extra 2 tablespoons) to form a smooth dough.
Step 3
Adjust the dough’s consistency if needed. If it’s too dry, gradually add more water, one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too sticky, add a little more flour.
Step 4
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the dough rest for 1 hour.
Step 5
Divide the dough into 8 equal-sized balls. Lightly flour a pastry mat or counter top. Use a rolling pin to roll one ball into a thin circle with an 8-inch diameter. Don’t worry if the circle isn’t perfectly round; a rough circle is fine.
Step 6
Use a pastry brush or spoon to spread the melted butter or margarine over the top of the dough.
Step 7
Fold the dough in half so it’s a semi-circle shape, and brush the top of the dough with melted butter.
Step 8
Fold the dough in half again, so it’s now a quarter-circle shape. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter.
Step 9
Fold the dough in half one last time, so it’s in the shape of a wedge or piece of pie.
Step 10
Place the dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Repeat the process with the remaining dough balls, separating each piece with a sheet of parchment paper.
Step 11
Lightly flour the pastry mat or countertop again and remove the first piece of buttered dough from between the parchment paper.
Step 12
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rough square or circle (the shape doesn’t really matter, just aim for an even thickness).
Step 13
Place the rolled-out dough back between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Repeat with the other pieces of buttered dough.
Step 14
Heat a medium skillet over medium heat. Grease the pan with butter or olive oil spray.
Step 15
Cook the kahi for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden.
Step 16
Arrange kahi on a serving platter, and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.
Step 17
Kahi is best eaten fresh, but it can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or toaster oven at 350F for 5 to 10 min to crisp it up.
This recipe comes from Elena Benjamin’s “Indian-Jewish Food: Recipes and Stories from the Streets of Bondi.”
