I went to Buffalo/New York and during a Yemeni Sister potluck and forum, I met this amazing bread that a sister by the name of Hannan brought with her. It looked like a “Bint Al Sahn” but it was thicker. There must have been at least 30 layers. And it was crispier. I had my eyes on it the entire afternoon, but sidled up next to it too late. It was wiped clean. Serves me right for talking too much! Well, on my last day in Buffalo Hannan was nice enough to make me one to take home and enjoy with my husband. I prayed to Allah that I wouldn’t lose my luggage and Alhamdullilah it made it home safe. Khaled and enjoyed it with honey, with lots of Duas for Hannan. Here are the pics of it:
Of course, once every crumb was gone Khaled and I yearned for it. So, asked Hannan for her recipe and I made it today. She doesn’t have exact measurements, so I measured as a went along. Here is what you’ll need:
1) 1 cup of warm milk
2) 1 cup of warm water
3) 1 tsp of salt ( or to taste)
4) 4 cups and a 1/2 of white flour (I used Gold Medal all purpose flour)
I kneaded all the ingredient together and made a soft dough. Add more flour or water if you need to make a soft but un-sticky dough. Here is what the dough looks like:
Cover it with plastic wrap and let sit for half an hour:
After half an hour turn this dough into small balls –it’ll make 24 balls of dough comfortably.
Then cover and leave aside for another 30 minutes.
Then with a rolling pin starting opening each one into thin circles, and leave them aside. Make sure you flour the counter so they don’t stick to it or to each other.
Preheat the oven at 500 degrees fahrenheit and place a big circular tray in the oven to heat. Then take another metal circular baking tray and flip it over and oil well. And then start covering the tray with the circles–stretch out the dough so it covers it well. It’ll be a very thin layer.
Oil this first layer well and then continue with the next one and the next one, remembering to oil in between in each layer.
Oil the last one as well. Then take a pair of scissors and cut out the excess dough on the ends like this:
Now you are done and ready to place in the oven. Open up the oven and carefully take the tray that has been heating up inside and carefully flip the layers onto the hot tray. Do this carefully, using your fingers to help the dough along. Close the oven and let it cook. It will puff up beautifully like this:
A Yemeniyah's Recipes 
Thank you so much sister for sharing the layers of bread. I have been looking every where to findout the recipe. I used to eat at my high school friends house for Eid. Her mom use to make it. Just recently I talked my friend she now lives in Yemen and asked her if she knows the recipe for thin layers bread? She knew what I was talking about and she said she will share with me. But Alhamdulilah I found your blog which was also given to me by another friend. Today I found the recipe I have been looking for over fifteen years! Jazaak Allahu Khairan sister for sharing, I will try to make it soon In Shaa Allah :)
Wa Iyakum
Very happy to know that you have finally found a recipe for this. Let me know how yours turns out.
Lamya
I just finish making it mine looks little different from yours. Will see how it taste also I think I left in the oven for too long and did not use enough oil on top and bottom layer :) I was trying to send pic to you but did not work :) IA will try again!
You have to oil it well. How did it taste ?
Usually the more you make it the better you get at it. I want to add wheat flour to this and see how it works out.
Lamya
Alhamdulillah, my husband and my older son loved it! It did not stay crispy the next day, but still tasted good. My friend Saymeah told me I can also add lil yeast and may be one egg too. I was thinking the same thing try with wheat flour too. In Shaa Allah will try it again soon. Jazaak Allahu khairan sis :)
Assalaam Aliakum Salina,
Actually the recipe that your friend is recommending is an entirely different one. We call the one with yeast and egg Sabayyah or Bint Al Sahn and i have it on my blog. Here is the link: https://yemeniyah.com/2010/07/25/bint-al-sahn-or-sabayah-%E2%80%9Cthe-daughter-of-the-plate%E2%80%9D-a-k-a-%E2%80%9Cthe-concubine%E2%80%9D/.
As you see. This one has egg and yeast and other ingredients.
Lamya
Wa Iyakum. Jazaki Allah Khayr for emailing me the pics. Yours looks delicious Maa Sha Allah.
Lamya
Email the picture to me at alma0028@yahoo.com Salina.
Masha’Allah this khobz looks amazing! I will definitely be trying this out insha’Allah. I love all your recipes but especially the Yafai ones, but I guess I’m biased ;-)
I wonder why Arrwa Yafai 😉!!! It is amazing Maa Sha Allah. So much culinary talent among Yemeni women Maa Sha’ Allah!
This looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you Muslimah ☺️
Mashallah this is amazing :) my mom actually does make this with wheat flour and in bleached flour and just adds yeast and it turns out just as good :) but the layers are a little thinner after baking…what do u call this? We call it qurs alsahn قرش الصحن or Sabayah
Yasmine we call this khobz yafai’i. The one you are referring to is something else entirely and has yeast in it. We call that one Sabayyah. Here is the recipe for it, it is also on my blog: https://yemeniyah.com/2010/07/25/bint-al-sahn-or-sabayah-“the-daughter-of-the-plate”-a-k-a-“the-concubine”/
Lamya
I do believe it is called Sabayyah too . I’ve heard this word used for a number of kinds of bread.
Lamya
Hecklers Unbleached flour
No yeast?
No yeast in this one. This is is just like Khobz Tawa–or Khobz Mulawah but it has layers. That’s all. The one that has yeast is Sabayyah, and i have it on my blog. We call it Bint Al Sahn as well.
Lamya
No. Not on this one.
Hi there,
(I don’t know how to catch your attention but hopefully you could spare me a minute to read this message.)
I am Freddy from myTaste, surfing on the net I found your blog and noticed you have a great number of tasty recipes there, that is why I am contacting you. Mytaste.com is a recipe search engine, we index recipes from food sites and blogs. I wonder if you would like join our website and receive more visitors to your blog through making your recipes available to a greater number of internet users.
So, if this sounds like a good plan to you, please visit our website & add your blog here: http://www.mytaste.com/add-your-food-blog There you will find all the instructions you need to follow to become a part of our bloggers family.
Hopefully your food blog will be up there in the top!
If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@mytaste.com
Warm regards,
Freddy
Assalaamu alaykum
Baarakaallaahu feeki for sharing this wonderful recipe, I made it last week and topped it with honey & black seeds, & everyone thought it was bint-us-sahn something I never imagined myself being able to make, it was actually easy though a bit time consuming
I was really happy with the results, thanks again for taking the time to share your recipes in detail.
Wa Alaikum Assalaam,
You’re very welcome. Glad it worked out for you :) Alhamdullilah.
Lamya