In Amharic, the word dabo means bread, but in the Ethiopian Jewish community, it typically refers to lightly sweet loaves like this one, which are served on Shabbat and holidays, explains Leah Koenig in The Jewish Cookbook. When Beejhy was little, she remembers the women in her family starting to prepare dabo on Thursdays so it would be ready for Shabbat.
The dabo is easy to make and is the perfect accompaniment to a bowl of hearty messer wot, the Ethiopian lentil stew, and gomen, collard greens with garlic and ginger.
Ingredients
Servings 1 loaf
- 1 to 1¼ cups 240 to 300 ml warm water
- 1 packet 2¼ teaspoons/7 g active dry yeast
- 4 cups 520 g all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup 50 g sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1½ teaspoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
Nutritional Facts
Nutrition Facts
Dabo
Amount per Serving
Calories
2138
% Daily Value*
Fat
16
g
25
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Trans Fat
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
7
g
Monounsaturated Fat
4
g
Cholesterol
164
mg
55
%
Sodium
7064
mg
307
%
Potassium
611
mg
17
%
Carbohydrates
432
g
144
%
Fiber
14
g
58
%
Sugar
51
g
57
%
Protein
57
g
114
%
Vitamin A
265
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
0.02
mg
0
%
Calcium
129
mg
13
%
Iron
24
mg
133
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Instructions
- Put ½ cup (120 ml) of the warm water in a small bowl, add the yeast, and stir. Set aside.
- Put the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook and mix on low speed for a few seconds to blend. Add the yeast-water mixture, 1 teaspoon of the oil, and the egg and mix on medium-low speed until blended.
- Gradually add another ½ cup (120 ml) warm water to the flour mixture, and then continue mixing until the dough is well blended, smooth, and soft, about 3 minutes, adding up to ¼ cup (60 ml) more water if needed to bring the dough together. Knead on medium speed until the dough springs back after you poke it with your finger, another 6 minutes or so.
- Grease your hands with the remaining ½ teaspoon oil and shape the dough into a ball. Put the dough in a large bowl and cover it with a towel. Let rise for 1 hour.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Pull the dough away from the sides of the bowl to release it, gently pressing on it to push out excess air but keeping the ball intact. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with a towel. Let it rise until doubled in size, 40 minutes or so.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C).
- Bake the bread until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when you tap the bottom, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet. Serve at room temperature.
Excerpted from The Jewish Holiday Table by Naama Shefi and the Jewish Food Society (Artisan Books). Copyright © 2024.
How many total grams of yeast are required for this recipe?
Bobby Meyer
7 grams as listed in the recipe