Yemenite Sponge Bread Recipe (Lachoh) | The Nosher

Step 1

In a large bowl, combine the flour, semolina (if using), sugar, salt, and yeast. Stir in the warm water until well combined. The mixture should resemble pancake batter. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and set aside in a warm place for 1½ hours. At this point, the batter should have lots and lots of tiny bubbles—this is a good sign.

Step 2

Line a plate with paper towels.

Step 3

To cook the lachoh, you want to start with a cold pan—the opposite of what you would normally do. Grease a 9-inch (23 cm) nonstick pan with a bit of vegetable oil (no additional oil will be needed during frying). Add ½ cup of the batter and only then turn the heat to high.

Step 4

Fry for three minutes, cover with a lid, and cook for another one to two minutes, until the bottom is golden brown and smooth and the top is set and full of little bubbles. Slide the lachoh onto the paper towels.

Step 5

Remove the pan from the heat, rinse the bottom with cold water to cool the pan, and dry. When the pan is completely cool, repeat to cook the remaining batter, stacking the finished lachoh on top of one another.

Step 6

Serve fresh, warm or at room temperature. You can also freeze them, wrapped well in plastic wrap, for up to a month. Reheat gently in a microwave.