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1
Whisk the Batter Smooth
5 Mins • Whisking
Room temperature — no heat
Whisk the flour, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon and salt together in a large bowl. Pour in the milk and water, add the eggs, and whisk until the batter is completely smooth with no lumps, about 2 minutes. It should pour like thin cream.
If lumps remain, pour the batter through a fine sieve into a jug — it makes pouring the spiral much easier.
Done when: A smooth batter that coats the back of a spoon thinly and drips off in a steady ribbon.
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2
Rest the Batter
10 Mins • Resting
Room temperature — no heat
Cover the bowl and leave the batter to rest for 10 minutes. While it rests, set a large non-stick pan over medium heat and put a plate lined with a clean cloth beside the stove.
Do not skip the rest: it lets the flour hydrate so the flatbreads pour thin and stay soft.
Done when: The batter looks slightly thicker and a few tiny bubbles appear on the surface.
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3
Heat the Pan
2 Mins • Medium Heat
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Brush the hot pan very lightly with melted butter — just a thin film. Flick in a drop of water: it should sizzle and vanish in a second. If the butter smokes, the pan is too hot; lift it off the heat for a few seconds.
Too little butter and the flatbread sticks; too much and it fries instead of steaming soft. A thin film is enough.
Done when: Butter melts and shimmers without smoking.
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4
Pour the Spiral
1 Min • Pouring
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Pour about 80 ml (1/3 cup) of batter into the centre of the pan, then immediately swirl it outward in a spiral with the back of the ladle, spreading it into a thin round about 20 cm across. Work quickly before the batter sets.
Keep the ladle moving in one smooth spiral from the centre out — stopping leaves a thick patch in the middle.
Done when: A thin, even round with the surface starting to dry at the edges.
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5
Cook the First Side
1 Min • Medium Heat
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Cook for 60 to 90 seconds until the surface looks dry, the edges lift away from the pan, and golden spots appear underneath. Brush the top very lightly with melted butter.
Lift an edge with a spatula to check the colour — pale gold with a few deeper spots is right; dark brown means the pan is too hot.
Done when: Surface dry, edges lifting, underside pale gold with golden spots.
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6
Flip and Finish
1 Min • Medium Heat
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Flip the flatbread with a wide spatula and cook the second side for 30 to 45 seconds until lightly golden. The egg must be fully set with no wet batter remaining. Slide it onto the cloth-lined plate and cover it to keep it soft.
The second side cooks faster — watch it, and do not press the flatbread down, or it turns tough.
Done when: Both sides lightly golden, fully set with no wet batter, and soft enough to fold.
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7
Repeat and Stack
15 Mins • Medium Heat
Medium heat, about 175°C (350°F)
Repeat with the remaining batter, brushing the pan lightly with butter before each flatbread, until you have 8 flatbreads. Stack them under the cloth as you go so the steam keeps them soft. Serve warm, two per person, drizzled with about 1/2 tablespoon of honey each.
The first flatbread is often the least perfect — cooks call it the test one. Eat it yourself and carry on; the rest will be better.
Done when: Eight thin, golden flatbreads, soft and foldable, stacked warm under the cloth.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Stack the flatbreads under a clean cloth as you cook so they stay warm and soft, then drizzle each serving with honey just before it reaches the table.
Djibouti
1h 30m
Vietnam
France