Malaweh with scallion & cheddar
In my primary school days, there was a special bond formed over snacks with my Yemeni friend. Each day during school break, he would bring me malaweh bread with adani honey, and I would bring Emirati khameer bread with local ghee and salted creamy cheese. Our snacks became a symbol of our friendship, a way for us to connect over our shared love for food.
I can vividly remember the way we would meet at the back of the sandy football field, under the shade of a neem tree, to enjoy our snacks together. We would unravel the wrinkled aluminum foil that held our treasures and lay it on the ground like a makeshift picnic sheet. The aroma of flaky buttery bread and sweet honey would fill the air, creating a sense of warmth and comfort in our little corner of the school yard.
My friend had a way of folding the malaweh bread in such a precise manner, almost as if it were a work of art. The way he would dip it into the small plastic cup of Yemeni honey and take a bite with pure enjoyment on his face, it was a sight to behold. I, on the other hand, would savor every bite of my mom's pillowy sweet bread with saffron and sesame, paired perfectly with local cheese.
Years later, I found myself craving those childhood memories and the flavors that accompanied them. I decided to recreate those snacks, but with a twist. I took a recipe from a colleague and added my own touch to make it savory, so as not to stray too far from the original flavors that brought me so much joy.
The result was a delightful mix of nostalgia and innovation, a taste of the past with a hint of the present. As I enjoyed my revamped version of our childhood snacks, I couldn't help but think of my Yemeni friend and the moments we shared under that neem tree. Food has a way of bringing people together, of creating lasting memories that transcend time and distance.
I hope that my adaptation of our childhood snacks brings a smile to your face and perhaps even sparks some memories of your own. Food is not just sustenance, but a way to connect with others and preserve the moments that matter most.
Serves 6
ingredients:
525g flour ( 4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon sea salt
375 ml whole milk ( 1 1/2 cup )
150g unsalted butter 2/3 cups ( melted) and more for greasing. (optional)
120g (4oz) sharp cheddar cheese ( grated) ( 1 1/2 cup)
6 small scallions small ( sliced)
nigella seeds (optional)
olive oil to cook the scallions
method:
In a stand mixer with hook attachment on medium low speed mix flour and salt and milk together and knead for 5-10 minutes until incorporated , cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
Heat a pan on medium heat and drizzle a little bit of olive oil and cook the scallions until transculent for 3 minutes, remove from the heat and tip in bowl with cheddar cheese and Nigella seeds, mix them together, set aside.
On lightly floured surface with divide the dough intoto six balls equally, flat them with lightly floured rolling pin to very thin circles 1/16 thick
Brush some butter on each g flattened dough add 1 tablespoonful of scallion & grated cheddar cheese mixture , now work one dough at a time to a cigar shape then twist around itself to get a snail shape.
Flatten each dough with rolling pin on flour surface to 7-8 inch
Heat non stick frying pan preferably cast iron over medium low heat brush each side of bread with butter if you prefer, cook on each side 3-4 minutes until golden brown
This bread will be served as a breakfast with egg or salad.
Note:
You can omit the filling and make regular malaweh with honey and ghee
