Ye'Injera Mulmul
የእንጀራ ሙልሙል·(yuh-in-je-ra mul-mul)
The Blended Table: First-Generation Holidays
When the heavy August rains finally break in Ethiopia, you know Buhe is coming. It’s a holiday that belongs to the neighborhood kids who roam door-to-door singing, rewarded by grandmothers with warm, oval breads packed with the intoxicating aroma of roasted indigenous seeds. Traditionally steam-baked on the exact same broad clay griddles used for injera, this stovetop bread demands trapped heat. We mimic that ancestral environment here with a cast-iron skillet and utilize a slow cold ferment so a busy parent can pull off a miracle on a Tuesday night. The real secret isn't the flour, it's the Dabo Kimem—an unapologetically bold, slightly bitter bread spice that makes a house smell entirely like home.
Before you start
Awaken the spices.
Toast the nigella, ajwain, coriander, and fenugreek seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 2 minutes until fragrant and lightly popping, then coarsely crush them in a mortar and pestle.
Ingredients
- nigella seeds1 tsp
- ajwain seeds1/2 tsp
- coriander seeds1/2 tsp
- fenugreek seeds1/4 tsp
- warm water1 1/4 cup
- granulated sugar1 tbsp
- active dry yeast1 1/2 tsp
- neutral oil3 tbsp
- all-purpose flour3 1/2 cup
- kosher salt1 1/2 tsp
- frozen banana leaf1 large
Method
- 01
Activate the yeast.
In a large bowl, whisk the warm water, sugar, and yeast, letting it sit for 5 minutes until it foams.
- 02
Mix the dough.
Stir in the oil and your cracked spice blend, then add the flour and salt, mixing with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.
- 03
Knead until elastic.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 to 7 minutes until soft and slightly tacky, then place in an oiled bowl and cover tightly.
- 04
Cold ferment the dough.
Stash the covered bowl in the fridge for up to 24 hours to deeply develop the spices and buy yourself time on a weeknight, pulling it out 30 minutes before you want to shape it.
- 05
Shape and wrap the loaves.
Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces, roll each into an oval shape, and gently wrap them in a banana leaf square seam-side down.
- 06
Proof in the skillet.
Place the wrapped doughs in a large, lightly oiled cast-iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid, letting them puff up for 20 minutes off the heat.
- 07
Steam-bake on the stovetop.
Set the covered skillet over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes to develop a deep golden-brown crust on the bottom, then carefully flip each bread, replace the lid, and cook for 10 more minutes.
- 08
Serve warm.
Unwrap the hot breads, discarding the leaves, and tear into them while the steam is still rising.
Notes
Sourcing the Dabo Kimem.
If you don't have an Ethiopian grocer nearby, you can easily find nigella, ajwain, coriander, and fenugreek at local Middle Eastern or Indian markets.
Banana leaf alternatives.
If banana leaves prove impossible to find, wrap the dough in parchment paper; you lose the herbal aroma, but the steam-baking mechanics that make the bread so soft remain the same.