Ethiopian Bread

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo is a rich Ethiopian honey-and-milk bread scented with cardamom and coriander, served in slices with coffee or tea. This version uses measured ingredients, clear visual cues and the traditional flavour balance that makes the dish distinctive.

Jump to recipe More Ethiopian food
30 minsPrep time
40 minsCook time
Serves 12Servings
MediumDifficulty
Yemarina Yewotet Dabo
About this dish

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo: the story on the plate

Yemarina Yewotet Dabo is a Ethiopian dessert with a clear sense of place. Yemarina yewotet dabo is an Ethiopian honey-and-milk bread whose name directly references honey and milk. It is richer and sweeter than everyday injera or plain breads. The recipe below keeps the defining ingredients and technique intact while giving practical metric quantities and enough detail for a home cook to judge texture, seasoning and doneness rather than simply follow a timer.

Historical background

Yemarina yewotet dabo is an Ethiopian honey-and-milk bread whose name directly references honey and milk. It is richer and sweeter than everyday injera or plain breads.

Why it is famous

It is more appropriately thought of as a sweet bread for hospitality, coffee or special occasions than as a plated pudding. It is placed in the dessert category to fit the site taxonomy.

Cultural significance

It is more appropriately thought of as a sweet bread for hospitality, coffee or special occasions than as a plated pudding. It is placed in the dessert category to fit the site taxonomy.

Nutrition

Estimated nutrition per serving

These figures are estimates per serving. Actual nutrition can vary with the brands and exact amounts you use, how much oil, dressing or sauce is absorbed, any substitutions or added extras, and the portion size served.

A practical guide for comparing recipes and planning meals.

285Calories
7gProtein
42gCarbs
10gFat
Ingredients

What you need

  • 550 strong white flour
  • 7 instant yeast
  • 300 warm whole milk
  • 90 honey
  • 70 butter, melted
  • 1 egg
  • 1 ground cardamom
  • 0.5 ground coriander
  • 8 fine salt
  • 15 sesame seeds, optional
Method

Step-by-step method

Follow the recipe in order, tasting and adjusting seasoning where needed.

  1. Mix warm milk, honey and yeast and leave 5 minutes. In a large bowl combine flour, cardamom, coriander and salt.
  2. Add the milk mixture, melted butter and egg. Knead 9–10 minutes until the dough becomes smooth, elastic and slightly tacky.
  3. Cover and rise for about 75 minutes until doubled. Knock back gently and shape into a round or oval loaf.
  4. Place on a lined tray, cover and prove 30–40 minutes. Heat the oven to 185°C and brush the loaf lightly with milk; scatter sesame seeds if using.
  5. Bake 35–40 minutes until a rich golden brown. Check the underside for a hollow sound or an internal bread temperature around 93–95°C.
  6. Cool fully before slicing. Honey makes the crumb tender and slightly sticky while warm, so cutting too early compresses it.
Cook smarter

Tips, storage and serving advice

Shopping tips

Good berbere should smell layered rather than simply hot. If you cannot find niter kibbeh, make a small batch of spiced clarified butter. For injera, buy authentic teff-based injera from an Ethiopian bakery if you are not fermenting your own. Check labels on compound ingredients such as sauces, spice blends, stocks, kimchi, fermented pastes and prepared breads when cooking for allergies.

Ingredient quality

For Yemarina Yewotet Dabo, prioritise fresh or properly stored versions of strong white flour, instant yeast, warm whole milk, honey; speciality seasonings should smell vivid rather than stale.

Common mistakes

Hot milk can damage yeast, excess flour dries the crumb and slicing warm bread makes it gummy.

Chef’s tips

The dough should remain slightly tacky after kneading; richness develops a soft crumb only if you resist adding too much flour.

How to know it is cooked

The loaf is deep gold, well risen and sounds hollow underneath, with no dense wet line near the base.

Plating advice

Serve in thick slices on a shared board or basket.

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