Bread is an essential part of every Arab household’s dinner and breakfast table. In Palestine, there are three types of bread used daily. Palestinian Kmaaj, which is the Arab pita bread; Palestinian Taboon bread, which is a bubbly bread made in a clay oven called a Taboon, and Shrak or Markouk bread, typically used under rice.

Palestinian Taboon bread is named after the clay oven it’s made in- the taboon. The oven is domed, and dates back centuries. Taboon is typically made to be used in Palestinian Musakhan, or Manakeesh.

This is not merely a basic dish, taboon bread is a representation of culinary talent and ethnic pride. It is a well-liked option for bread lovers all around the world because of its rich yet straightforward character. Taboon is a culinary adventure that spans across all of Palestine and unites people over shared meals and treasured moments, whether it is consumed fresh out of a traditional taboon oven or made in your own kitchen. Baking Palestinian taboon bread is a social activity that preserves cultural heritage by passing down skills and customs through the generations.

---

---

Taboon Oven to Table

---

Taboon is typically made in a underground or above ground oven made out of clay. The clay cooking process gives the dough a delicious light airiness to it along with some light crispy elements. The bread is slapped against the oven’s inside walls, where it bakes rapidly, inflating and obtaining a deliciously crispy crust. The outcome is a bread with a smokey scent that adds to its overall appeal. It is crispy on the exterior yet soft and chewy on the inside.This recipe shows you how to imitate the clay oven results but while making it in a home oven!

Taboon is quite easy to make; it uses the typical dough ingredients in any dough, with just some adjustments in quantities.

The essential components of taboon bread are flour, water, yeast, oil and salt. This makes it quite simple to make. The baking and preparation are what really make it special. Usually, good flour, water, and yeast are mixed to make the dough, which is then kneaded until it becomes elastic and smooth. Parts of the dough are stretched and flattened into thin rounds after they proof, and often than not the surface is dimpled pre baking to help it bake better.

They key to making Palestinian taboon bread at home is to attempt to imitate it. Here’s the trick: Use washed and dried (clean) river rocks. You can purchase these from most craft stores. Place them in a round tray and bake them in the oven, starting from the time it preheats. Let them preheat on the highest setting your oven goes to, then leave the oven on for an hour with the rocks inside.

---

---

Ingredients to Make Palestinian Taboon Bread

Typically, to make authentic Palestinian Taboon, you’d need to mix all purpose flour with whole wheat flour. For the sake of easy access and and easy recipe with ingredients found in every household, I’ve adapted it to all purpose flour only.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour: As mentioned, the authentic bread uses a mixture of both all purpose and wheat flour, but this recipe is simplified.

Yeast: Active dry yeast to help it rise.

Oil: To give the dough softness and fluffiness.

Water: to bind all the ingredients together and make a soft taboon bread.

Sugar: Just a tiny amount to activate the yeast!

Salt: to bring out the essential flavor of the bread.

---

---

How to Make Authentic Taboon Bread

To start, begin by adding the flour and salt together to a large bowl. Mix well.

Then, warm up the water. Make sure its warm and not HOT as that can kill the yeast. Combine the warm water, sugar and yeast together and whisk well. Cover and set aside for 10 minutes to activate. It should look bubbly and frothy.

Now, combine the water and yeast mixture to the flour. Start kneading the dough.

After that, gradually drizzle in the oil so it helps the dough bind and become soft.

Now, knead the dough until its completely soft. It can be a little sticky. If its TOO STICKY, add some flour, a tablespoon at a time. The result we’re looking for is a soft dough with a tiny bit of stickiness.

After that, cover and let the dough rise in a warm spot for an hour and half to two hours, until doubled.

In the meantime, clean and dry the river rocks. Place them in a round tray and place them in the oven. Now turn on the oven to preheat to the highest setting your oven goes to. Let the rocks preheat until the dough is ready, about an hour.

Once the dough has risen, divide into 10 equal pieces.

Let them rise again for 10 minutes. When ready, take one ball and flatten it into a round circle, not too thick and not too thin. Place ontop of the preheated rocks, and bake until it puffs up, flip over to let it develop some color and remove immediately. Place in a clean kitchen towel and close the top so it doesnt dry out. When ready, top with onions for musakhan, or eat it with breakfast.

---

---

Here are some other Palestinian Recipes to try!

Authentic Palestinian Musakhan

Huweirrah (Palestinian Hedge Mustard Dip)

Makloubeh

Gazan Fogaiyya

Ka’ak Al Quds (Jerusalem Sesame Bread)

Knafeh Nabulsiyeh

Sfeeha Yafawiyeh (Spiral Meat Pies)

Palestinian Knafeh (Khishneh)

Emshat (Palestinian Cauliflower Fritters)

Pakistani Beef Nihari Recipe

---

If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate it and leave a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience. You can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.