Dabo: Ethiopian Pan Cooked Shabbat Bread

Dabo is an Ethiopian bread that holds a special place in both Ethiopian cuisine and among Ethiopian Jews (Beta Israel). It’s a dense, honey-sweetened bread traditionally baked for religious occasions, including Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. The Ethiopian Jewish community, with its unique traditions and rituals, has been practicing Judaism in Ethiopia for centuries, with roots that some claim date back to the time of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba.

The baking of Dabo, particularly for Shabbat, is a ritual that symbolizes the essence of home and rest in Ethiopian Jewish culture. Unlike the more widely known Challah bread, which is braided and baked in an oven, Dabo is traditionally pan-cooked, reflecting the cooking methods accessible in Ethiopian households. This method involves slow-cooking the bread in a covered pan, which gives Dabo its distinctively dense texture and moist interior. The addition of honey not only sweetens the bread but also ties it to the biblical land of “milk and honey,” reinforcing the spiritual connection of the food.

The Beta Israel community in Ethiopia was relatively isolated from other Jewish communities, leading to unique religious practices and culinary traditions. Dabo, therefore, represents a fascinating intersection of Jewish religious practice and Ethiopian culinary tradition. With the migration of Ethiopian Jews to Israel and other parts of the world in the late 20th and early 21st centuries, the tradition of making Dabo has been introduced to a broader audience, adding to the rich tapestry of Jewish cuisine.

Today, Dabo continues to be a symbol of the Ethiopian Jewish community’s heritage and religious practice, embodying the flavors and history of a unique culture within the broader Jewish diaspora. It serves not only as a culinary delight but also as a reminder of the diversity and adaptability of Jewish traditions around the world.

adapted from The Sephardic Kitchen by Copeland Marks

Prep time: 15 minutes
Rising time: 7 hours
Cooking time: 30-35 minutes

INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon dry yeast
2 tablespoons baking powder
3 cups lukewarm water (about 110º F)
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
4 cups or more, unbleached flour
Assorted recipes suggest spicing with nigella seeds, with coriander, cardamom, cloves, fenugreek, and/or cinnamon. Use about 1 teaspoon of each preferred spice or more to taste.

INSTRUCTIONS

Dissolve the yeast and the baking powder in the water. Mix in the egg yolks, salt, sugar, spices of choice, and oil. Add the flour and prepare a smooth dough by mixing the “wet” dough for 5 minutes. Let the dough rise in a plastic bag covered and oiled bowl at room temperature for about 6 hours. Deflate the dough gently.
Put the dough in a lightly oiled large round skillet or divide among two, and let rise, covered fully by the plastic bag, for 1 hour. Cook it on the stove, covered with matching pan lid, at low heat for 25 to 30 minutes. Turn the loaf over and cook for 5 more minutes. Cool on racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.