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Canjeero
Spongy fermented pancakes
Somali spongy fermented pancakes for breakfast, with sesame oil and sugar
Canjeero (also called laxoox) is Somali breakfast, made fresh each morning in homes and sold in cafés from Mogadishu to Djibouti: thin, spongy pancakes from a soured batter, cooked on one side only so the top is full of tiny holes. Eaten warm, they are drizzled with sesame oil or ghee and sprinkled with sugar, then rolled up with sweet spiced tea; on weekends they come with liver or beans. They are smaller and lighter than Ethiopian injera and made mostly from wheat. Chef's tip: spread the batter in a spiral with the back of the ladle, starting in the middle; that is what makes the thin, even, lacy sheet.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz plain flour
- 1 ¾ oz sorghum or fine cornmeal
- 1 tsp instant yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 1 tsp vegetable oilfor the pan
- 4 tbsp sesame oilto serve
- 4 tbsp sugarto serve
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Blend or whisk 9 oz plain flour, 1 ¾ oz sorghum or fine cornmeal, 1 tsp instant yeast, 1 tsp sugar, ½ tsp salt and 2 cups lukewarm water into a smooth, thin batter like single cream. Cover and leave at warm room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight, until bubbly and slightly sour.
240 minStep 2: Stir the batter down. If it has thickened, whisk in a few spoons of water.
Step 3: Heat a non-stick pan over a medium heat and wipe with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Pour a small ladleful into the centre and immediately use the bottom of the ladle to spread it outwards in a spiral to a thin round about 20 cm across.
2 minStep 4: Cook for 1–2 minutes without turning, until the top is covered with holes and looks dry, and the base is pale gold. Common mistake: flipping it — canjeero is cooked on one side.
25 minStep 5: Stack and keep warm. Serve drizzled with 4 tbsp sesame oil and sprinkled with 4 tbsp sugar, folded or rolled.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does canjeero take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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