Bibi's Coconut & Sesame Bread
For this Ramadan Waitrose & I have partnered to bring you Bibi’s delicious Coconut Sesame Flatbread! It’s moorish, easy to make and has everyone falling in love. I have elevated her simple sesame topping to give you options of harissa caramelised onions , whipped feta and chilli oil tomatoes! Honestly, you can’t go wrong with this at your table, it’s forever a crowd pleaser in our home. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
650g Plain Flour
400ml Warm Coconut Milk
2 Eggs (or extra Coconut Milk)
Salt (Roughly couple of teaspoons)
7g Instant Yeast
1 TBSP Butter or Oil
Sesame Seeds for Spinkling
Salted Butter for Glazing
Method:
Pour the yeast into the milk and allow to ferment for 5 minutes.
Combine in a large bowl, the flour, salt, butter and then add in the coconut/yeast mixture.
Incorporate by hand or place in a mixer and beat with a dough hook.
As the dough comes together, you don’t want it to be too stiff or dry so add in 1 egg, or extra coconut milk (gradually) . Only add the second egg if you haven’t reached the texture.
Beat for a further 5-10 minutes. I prefer do this by hand so you can get the consistency right.
This should not come together into a ball like a normal bread. It should very loose but not too liquid like.
Once you have finished beating, it should be really smooth.
Leave to rise for at least 1.5 hours or until it has doubled in size.
Once ready. Heat up your pan on a medium heat and turn your grill on high.
Knock back the dough in the bowl and pull with your hands to see if it is stretchy.
Add a tiny splash of oil in your pan, then grab a handful of dough, drop it into the pan and spread with your fingers into a circle.
Dip your fingers in water if you find it gets too sticky. It will also help spread it apart easily.
Once you have your shape, sprinkle the sesame seeds over and allow the dough to cook half way through. Ideally you want the bottom to have slightly browned and you’ll notice it starts to go dry on top.
At this stage place directly under the grill and allow the top to cook. It will rise slightly and when you see it starts to turn golden, you can remove it.
As soon as you remove, place on a plate and with a pastry brush, brush the oil or butter over it to allow it to seep through while it is still hot.
Repeat for the rest of the dough. You should get roughly 9-10 pieces of bread.
Toppings:
Harissa & Caramelised onions
Caramelized Onion Harissa
Ingredients
2 large onions, thinly sliced
5 tbsp olive oil
Sea Salt
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 roasted red peppers (jarred or freshly roasted)
3 garlic cloves
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp harissa spice mix
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses (or 1 tbsp honey + 1 tbsp lemon juice)
2 tbsp olive oil
Method
Heat olive oil in a pan over low heat.
Add sliced onions and salt, stirring occasionally. Cook for 20–30 minutes until deep golden brown.
Mix the garlic, tomato paste, harissa spices, cinnamon, and pomegranate molasses.
Add into the pan and mix well with the onions for around 5 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, black pepper, or more pomegranate molasses.
Whipped Feta with Chilli Oil Tomatoes
Ingredients
Whipped Feta:
200g feta cheese (room temp)
100g Greek yogurt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 small garlic clove, grated
Black pepper, to taste
Chilli Oil Tomatoes:
250g cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp Aleppo pepper or red chili flakes
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp honey
Handful of Basil
Drizzle Pomegranate Molasses
Salt, to taste
Method
Blend feta, yogurt, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and black pepper until super smooth.
Taste and adjust—add more yogurt for creaminess or a touch of honey if too salty.
Refrigerate until ready to use.
Chili Oil Tomatoes
Heat olive oil & butter in a pan over medium heat.
Add cherry tomatoes, salt, and let them blister for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in chili flakes, cumin, smoked paprika, and honey. Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat once tomatoes are jammy but still holding their shape.