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Masoub
Masoub (معصوب): Yemeni mashed bread and banana breakfast with cream and honey
Masoub is a rich breakfast from Aden and the Tihama coast of Yemen, now just as loved in Saudi Arabia, where it is served in cafés on Friday mornings in big bowls. Torn flatbread is mashed with ripe bananas and ghee into a warm, sweet, slightly chewy pudding, then topped with thick cream, honey and sometimes dates or cheese. It is soft, sticky and very filling, a good use for bread that is a day old. The usual mistake is using bananas that are not ripe enough: they need brown-freckled skins to mash smoothly and give sweetness without much honey. Chef's tip: toast the bread pieces in the dry pan first until they are crisp at the edges; they take up the ghee better and give the mash a nutty taste.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 9 oz wholemeal flatbreads or pittaa day old is fine, torn into small pieces
- 4 very ripe bananaspeeled
- 4 tbsp ghee
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
To top
- 3 tbsp honey
- 6 soft dates (optional)pitted and chopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Put a wide frying pan over a medium heat and toast 9 oz wholemeal flatbreads or pitta, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until crisp at the edges.
4 minStep 2: Add 3 tbsp ghee and stir until the bread is coated and sizzling, about 1 minute.
1 minStep 3: Lower the heat, add 4 very ripe bananas and ½ tsp ground cardamom, and mash everything together with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon. Keep pressing and turning for 6–8 minutes, until it becomes a warm, thick, mostly smooth mass with a few chewy bits of bread.
8 minStep 4: Pile into bowls and make a dip in each. Pour in the rest of 1 tbsp ghee, spoon ¾ cup double cream or thick clotted cream over, drizzle with 3 tbsp honey and scatter with 6 soft dates if using. Serve straight away.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 70 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does masoub take?
- About 20 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 15 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 vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of very ripe bananas?
- 120g (½ cup) apple sauce per banana (less banana flavour).
- What can I use instead of ghee?
- Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).
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