Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar in a small bowl and let it sit for ten minutes. This activates the living organisms, resulting in a thick, foamy layer on the surface.
- Make a well in the sifted flour and stir in the foamy yeast, egg, milk, and melted butter until it forms a cohesive mass. This brings the shaggy pieces together without heavy kneading, yielding a slightly sticky, soft dough.
- Cover the bowl securely and let the dough sit in a warm place for an hour and a half to ferment. This develops the gluten structure gently, giving you a smooth ball that has doubled in size.
- Cut the dough into six equal pieces, roll them into smooth spheres, and let them rise for another fifteen minutes. "How do I shape the dough balls smoothly?" Stretching the surface and tucking the seams underneath creates tension, leaving you with tight, uniform rounds.
- Flatten each sphere with your hand and roll it out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface. Pressing them evenly ensures they cook uniformly in the pan, creating a broad, flat disk.
- Place the rolled dough into a smoking hot cast-iron skillet, cooking each side until deeply golden and charred. The intense heat traps the steam rapidly, forming large, airy bubbles across the surface.
- Brush the hot flatbreads with melted butter and sprinkle them with nigella seeds and fresh cilantro immediately. Adding the fat while the bread is hot locks in moisture, presenting a glossy, fragrant side dish.
Nutrition
Notes
Make sure your cast iron skillet is visibly smoking before adding the dough; this high heat traps steam instantly, creating those signature large, airy bubbles on the surface.