Why it works: Flour and buttermilk are a kitchen classic. They rank in the top 8% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 3,721 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Ethiopian Flat Bread
Ingredients
Directions
Make the batter
Stir together first 6 ingredients.
Combine the eggs, buttermilk, and the 1 tablespoon of cooking oil; add all at once to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth.
Cook the flatbreads
Pour 2 tablespoons of the batter into a hot, lightly greased 6-inch skillet. Lift and quickly rotate pan so that batter covers bottom.
Return skillet to medium heat. Cook about 1 minute or until light brown on bottom.
Invert bread onto paper toweling. If necessary, loosen with a small spatula.
Repeat with remaining batter, 2 tablespoons at a time.
Serve
Roll up jell-roll style and serve warm.
Nutrition, whole recipe (rough)
What these numbers assume: 6 portions
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 cup (125g) all-purpose | 455 |
| Milk | 1 cup (244ml) whole | 149 |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Egg | 1 large egg (50g) | 78 |
| Sugar | 1 tbsp (12.5g) granulated | 49 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
One typical portion per ingredient; the recipe's quantities are not counted. A rough guide only, not for medical or dietary planning.
Steps grouped into stages for easier reading; the method is the source's own.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Flour + buttermilktop 8% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together3,721 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Sugar + buttermilktop 9% of all pairsSmell alikestrongCooked together2,973 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
-
Wheat + flourtop 12% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together4,373 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
-
Flour + sugartop 15% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together92,116 recipes
Shared aroma: phenylacetaldehyde (hawthorne, honey).
-
Flour + eggtop 15% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together106,462 recipes
Shared aroma: isobutyraldehyde (malty, green).
Flour and egg barely smell alike, yet cooks put them together in 106,462 recipes: they work on texture and structure more than aroma.
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Whole wheat flour
- Adds a nutty flavour and a tender but sturdy structure to the flatbread.
- All-purpose flour
- Provides the gluten network that gives the thin flatbread its structure and flexibility.
- Eggs
- Bind the batter and add richness and structure as they set in the skillet.
- Buttermilk
- Adds moisture and mild acidity, which tenderises the crumb and adds tang.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the acid in the buttermilk to lift the batter and help it brown.
The step that matters
Pour and rotate the thin batter in a hot pan. The batter must be spread quickly across a hot, greased skillet so it sets into a thin, even layer before it can thicken or cook unevenly. A cool pan lets the batter stick and tear, while uneven spreading leaves thick, doughy spots.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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