Fahsa Saltah with Hulba and Khobz Bread (without Tanour or Peel)

Ingredients
 
Bread (makes 16 nann bread sized portions - we only used half but can be stored in frdige for a few days or half recipe to Serve 2)

4 cups bread flour (you can also substitute half whole wheat flour to improve the texture)

1 ½ cups water

2 teaspoons yeast

2 teaspoons salt

2 tablespoons oil

 

Fasha Saltah (Serves 2)

1 tbsp. oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

Half onion, chopped

½ green chili pepper, chopped, more or less to taste

½ green chili pepper, chopped, more or less to taste

½ tsp cumin

½ tsp coriander

¼ tsp turmeric

3/4 tsp. salt

½ 1 lb. beef cubes

5 cups water

 

Hulba (Just enough for 2 people)

Water

2 tsp. ground  Fenugreek

2 tbsp. Bisbas (bought or homemade, see below)  

 

Bisbas (makes 3-5 more than required for 2 people. Reduce quantity, store in fridge 3 days or freeezer 3 months)

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 clove of garlic

1/4 tsp. cumin seeds

1/2 tsp. ground coriander

1-2 green chilis, more or less depending on taste

1 dried chili

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. water
 
Method

I prepared the dough the day before and kept in the fridge, removing from fridge to get to room temperature whilst preparing meal. You can keep it in the fridge up to 3 days or you can make it fresh on the day.

 

Mix all Bread ingredients together until combined.
Knead the dough until smooth and soft, about 15 minutes. You can do this using a bread hook attachment on a mixer, a bread machine, or by hand.
Cover the dough and let it sit for 30 minutes.

Whilst dough is sitting
Trim beef, wash and marinade in the Spices and salt
Place ground fenugreek in a small bowl of water and let sit for at least one hour
Chop garlic, onion, and chili pepper for Saltah
Chop pepper, garlic, chilis for Bisbas)

Uncover the dough and break it into four equal pieces and shape it into a smooth ball, repeat with the other three.
Cover it lightly with oil and plastic wrap and let it sit for 1-2 hours until the dough its soft and will stretch easily.

Whilst dough is resting, prepare the Saltah
Sauté garlic, onion, and chili pepper in oil until garlic browns and onion is translucent
Add Beef to onion mixture, brown the meat for 5 minutes.
Add water to the mixture and cook in pan for 1 ½ - 2 hours (or cook in pressure for about 30 minutes) on medium heat until meat is tender and breaks apart easily. I might try the slow cooker overnight next time.
 
Whilst Saltah cooking

Blend all Bulbas ingredients using an electric blender or by hand using a mortar and pestle.

 

Drain excess but not all the water from the fengureek and whip until the color has changed from brown to white and the bitter taste is gone. This took more than 10 minutes with a hand whisk, but apparently can be done by hand?!

 

30 minutes before you are ready to serve, preheat the oven and a baking tray covered in oil, as hot as your oven will get.
(or prepare the peel (wooden board) by dusting it with cornmeal. This is so the dough will slide off easily in the oven)

When the beef is tender and breaks apart easily remove from heat and break the meat apart with a fork. The consistency of the broth should be similar to a slightly thick soup; if there is not sufficient broth, you may add extra water.
Pour the meat stew into a stone cookware and heat until bubbling.
 
Whilst the Saltah is bubbling
Take a dough ball and split into four portions. Grab each portion between your thumb and pointer fingers with both hands. Then gradually watch the dough out, working around the edge of the dough. Stretch the dough until it is nearly see through, leaving some parts about 3mm or wider so that you have a mix between crispy and doughy bread, to suit.
(If using a Peel then keep the bread same size as peel. Place the dough on the peel and shake it slightly to make sure that it moves. If it doesn’t, add more cornmeal to the peel. Now quickly place the tip of the peel onto the stone and slide back the peel, leaving the bread on the stone.)
Close the oven and let the bread cook for 3-4 minutes.
 
Whilst the bread is in the oven
Add prepared bisbas to the fenugreek and whip in to complete the Hulba. Add more or less Bisbas depending on your taste for spiciness. I added 3-4 tsp.
Remove the Saltah from the heat and transfer to serving dish if you prefer (I served it in the Stoneware)
Add a few dollops of whipped Hulba
 

Remove the bread from the oven and serve immediately (or place directly in a plastic bag to keep it from getting hard if ready before you are due to serve).