Himbasha is Ethiopian celebration bread — a sweet, spiced round loaf studded with raisins, flavored with cardamom. Eaten at weddings and holidays.
Himbasha (also called ambasha) is the traditional Ethiopian celebration bread. The wheel shape and decorative scoring represent the sun. It is served at weddings, christenings, Christmas, and Easter. The bread is always torn by hand, never cut with a knife.
A thick, golden round of bread, scored in a sunburst pattern. The crumb is soft and slightly sweet, with cardamom warmth and occasional sweet bursts from raisins. Torn, not sliced. Eaten with coffee or tej.
The dough is lightly enriched with oil and sugar — more like a quick bread than a proper yeast bread. The cardamom (both ground and whole pods infused in the liquid) provides the characteristic floral warmth. The sunburst scoring is both decorative and functional — it helps the thick loaf bake evenly.
Variations
Some add nuts or candied fruit; the sweetness level varies; some use nigella seeds.
On the Palate
Where Himbasha sits in the Ethiopian flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 8
How it's made
6 steps · 1 hour active + 1 hour waiting
- 110 min
Infuse milk with cardamom pods; cool.
- 25 min
Mix flour, yeast, sugar, salt, oil, raisins, ground cardamom.
- 360 min
Add infused milk; knead; rise 1 hour.
Watch outThe dough is properly risen when it's doubled and airy — a fully collapsed, dense dough bakes into a heavy loaf.
- 45 min
Shape into a round; score a sunburst pattern on top.
- 530 min
Second rise 30 min.
- 630 min
Bake at 180°C for 30 min; serve warm, torn by hand.
Watch outTap the base — a hollow sound and golden crust mean it's baked through; a thick loaf can still be raw inside.
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