Shafout (Yemeni Flatbread in Herbed Yogurt)
Local name: شفوت
In short: Soft flatbread soaked in cold garlicky yogurt with cilantro, mint and green chili, topped with tomato for a cooling light meal. It takes about 20 min in total and makes 4 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Resting
- 40 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 250 kcal
Shafout is a cold Yemeni dish of thin bread soaked in sharp, herby yogurt. Cilantro, mint, garlic and green chili go into the sauce, and the bread drinks it up until it turns soft and creamy. Families serve it at iftar during Ramadan and as a light lunch in hot weather. The bread is often lahuh, a spongy pancake, but any thin flatbread soaks well. Eat it with a spoon, straight from the shared dish.
Instructions
- Whisk the yogurt, cold water, garlic, lemon juice, cumin and salt in a bowl until smooth and pourable, like thin cream.
- Stir in half of the cilantro, mint and chilies. Chill for 30 minutes so the flavors blend.
- Tear the flatbread into bite-size pieces. If it is very fresh and soft, dry it in a 180°C (350°F) oven for 4 minutes first so it does not turn mushy.
- Spread half of the bread in a wide shallow dish and ladle over half of the yogurt sauce. Add the remaining bread and sauce on top and press down lightly. Let it soak for 10 minutes.
- Top with the tomatoes, onion and the remaining herbs and chilies. Serve cold, within an hour.
Tips
- Use thin bread. Thick pita turns heavy, while lahuh, lavash or even soft tortillas absorb the yogurt evenly.
- For a milder dish, remove the chili seeds or skip the chilies and add a pinch of black pepper. Thin out very thick yogurt with extra water until it pours easily.
Questions and answers
Can I make shafout ahead of time?
Make the yogurt sauce up to a day ahead. Soak the bread no more than 30 to 60 minutes before serving, or it breaks down into a paste.
What bread is used in shafout?
Traditionally lahuh, a soft, spongy pancake cooked on one side only. At home, thin flatbread such as lavash or pita works well.
Is shafout spicy?
It can be. The green chilies give a clean, fresh heat, so remove the seeds for a mild version or add more for a fiery one.
How long does it take to make Shafout (Yemeni Flatbread in Herbed Yogurt)?
About 20 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Shafout (Yemeni Flatbread in Herbed Yogurt)?
About 250 kcal per serving, with 12 g of protein, 36 g of carbohydrates and 6 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 250 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 12 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 6 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 9 g |
| Sodium | 700 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
