Lahoh

About This Recipe

Lahoh (also spelled laxooh or canjeero in Somali) is a spongy, slightly sour flatbread made from a thin fermented batter of flour and water. Cooked only on one side in a circular pan, the top is left uncooked so hundreds of tiny holes form, giving the pancake its signature lacy, sponge-like texture. In Djibouti it is eaten for breakfast drizzled with honey and ghee, or alongside spiced stews.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 2 cupsplain (all-purpose) flour
• ½ tspinstant yeast
• ½ tspbaking powder
• ½ tspsalt
• 2½ cupswarm water

Instructions

1. 1

   Make batter

   Whisk flour, yeast, baking powder, and salt together. Gradually add warm water, whisking until completely smooth and pourable. The batter should be thinner than crêpe batter. Rest 1 hour at room temperature.

2. 2

   Heat pan

   Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Do not oil it — lahoh are cooked without fat.

3. 3

   Cook one side only

   Pour a ladleful of batter into the centre of the pan and swirl to a thin circle. Cook 2–3 minutes until bubbles cover the surface and set, and the edges lift easily. Do NOT flip.

4. 4

   Stack and serve

   Slide onto a plate. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve warm with honey and ghee, or alongside maraq soup.

Variations

• •

  Add 2 tbsp teff flour for an earthier, slightly Ethiopian flavour.

• •

  Substitute half the flour with sorghum flour for a traditional twist.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Stack with baking paper between each lahoh and refrigerate up to 2 days. Reheat briefly in a dry pan.

Frequently Asked Questions