Easy recipe: Sim sim bread

Easy recipe: Sim sim bread (Photo: Chef Ali)

This is a Swahili bread popular during special occasions.

Ingredients

500g all-purpose flour 

1 tablespoon sugar 

1 teaspoon salt 

1 sachet instant yeast 

400ml coconut cream

100ml buttermilk or maziwa lala 

2 tablespoons ghee

50g sim sim for topping (sesame seeds) 

Method:  

In a bowl, combine the flour with all the dry ingredients. Add the coconut cream, ghee and buttermilk. Mix well with your hand until the mixture is well combined. It should be a sticky consistency. Cover and allow it to prove for about an hour until it has doubled in size.

In a stainless steel pan over medium heat, sprinkle some salt water (a mixture of water and salt). Allow the water to evaporate till you can see the salt stains in the pan, this will ensure the bread sticks in the pan while cooking. 

Wet your hands with water and scoop the flour mixture with them, then gently apply it to the pan. You can use a spoon if you wish, but it works better with your hand.

Sprinkle the sim sim (sesame seeds) over the top and cook for about three minutes, then flip the pan and cook the top of the bread directly over the gas flame.

Once the bread is cooked, remove it gently using a spoon, brush some ghee on top while it’s still hot and continue to make the rest. This recipe will give you 4-5 loaves. Enjoy with a vegetable mix or any meat dish.