Have You Ever Heard of ‘Lachuch’, a Yemenite Favorite

jamiegeller.com

Lachuch resembles a classic American pancake in looks and texture, but tastes different and is not flipped over as are pancakes. It is left to cook on one side only, which is why the temperature and condition of the pan are so crucial to making it right.

We met with Leah Nagar, a woman with strong Yemenite and Israeli roots, to help us perfect lachuch and pita.

She shares with us her secrets to making the perfect lachuch: Leah has a separate pan for making lachuch and washes the pan under cold water in between making each piece, in order to maintain the exact temperature. Cooking other food in this pan will ruin it for future batches of lachuch. It is a delicate process and most fascinating to watch.

“You have to feel it,” Leah responds when prompted for the precise measurements, and therefore the amounts of flour, water, and oil given are estimates; feel it and adjust accordingly. Becoming so proficient with a bread batter is impressive, as are the results. A truly authentic Yemenite savory pancake, lachuch is ideally eaten with charif and blended tomatoes.

Enjoy Lachcuh on it’s own to dip in hummus or tahini or add cheese and tomatoes for a simple Yemenite Grilled cheese.

DURATION: 100 minutes
COOK TIME: 6 minutes
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
SERVINGS: 10

INGREDIENTS

1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
½ cup water
1 tablespoon sugar
3 cups Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour
3 cups water
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup oil

PREPARATION

1. Dissolve yeast with water and sugar and wait for it to froth.

2. Combine flour, water, salt, oil and add to yeast mixture. mix until well combined and smooth.

3. Set aside for an hour.

4. Place cold pan on stove.

5. Spray frying pan with oil spray or use a paper towel dipped in oil to slightly oil the pan.

6. Pour ½ cup batter into pan.

7. Turn on fire to medium-high heat. cook lachuch for 3-4 minutes on medium-high heat.

8. Lower heat and cook for 2 more minutes.

9. Remove from pan and let rest on paper towels.

10. Repeat process with the rest of the batter. if pan gets too hot, remove from heat and run cold water over the bottom of the pan. the temperature of the pan is crucial to the success of lachuch.

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