Bakhmri or khameer, is a traditional fried bread from Yemen. Yemeni Khameer is similar to doughnuts with a tad bit of sweet taste. These are served as a snack with a cup of tea.
Doughnuts | Arabic doughnuts | Yemeni Cuisine | Arabic Cuisine | Middle-Eastern cuisine | Doughnuts from the middle-east | Not so sweet doughnuts | Not so sugary doughnuts
Jump to:
Doughnuts of the World
When we say doughnuts, immediately one would imagine, soft and fluffy round bread with a hole in the center, topped with lots of colorful toppings or these small round ones called doughnut holes. But do you know there are so many other varieties of doughnuts famous in each country?
- Bamieh, rich and royal, Persian doughnuts with saffron and rose water.
- Oliebollen : Traditional Dutch doughnuts, also known as oil cakes.
- Croatian Krafne : A delicacy that is served during carnival time. Delicious, apricot jam filled doughnuts.
- Mandazi | Swahili Buns: Deep fried coconut doughnut from the Swahili Coast.
- Loukoumades : Greek, honey doughnuts , round and fluffy deep fried bread, served with honey.
Khameer Bread from Yemen
If you read the list above, you know how much we love doughnuts. My younger one has an allergy with artificial colors. He loves Krispy Kreme doughnuts, but unfortunately, every time he eats one, immediately he starts the allergy cycle.
He loves when i make them at home. When i was looking for a bread from Yemen for a blogging series, I came across this simple fried bread Bakhmri.
What got my attention was the simple dough, not so sweet, no sugary toppings. The dough is flavored with cardamom and nigella seeds. The bread fluffs up nicely when deep fried and is served with an aromatic adeni chai.
How to Serve Yemeni Bakhmri
We had these fluffy bread for breakfast with chai. These doughnuts were similar to the African puff-puff or Mandazi/Swahili buns, except for the addition of kalonji seeds.
Fluffy cloud like bread, mild in sugar, these were totally awesome, when dipped into that spiced arabic tea, the taste was brilliant. The bread can also be garnished with powdered sugar, but i would definitely recommend to be served plain with a cup of your favorite hot beverage.
These soft and fluffy fried bread can be served as an appetizer for get-togethers. They are pretty easy to make, can be easily made for a huge crowd. They can also be served with some savory dipping like mint chutney, colorful beets hummus, roasted red pepper and walnut hummus, Romanian zacusa.
Ingredients for Khameer
- Main ingredients : Flour and yeast. I have used all purpose flour in the recipe.
- Liquid : The dough is made with water, you can also use milk to make it more rich.
- Fat : The dough uses oil. Since these are fried doughnuts, oil is used for frying.
- Sweetener : The dough uses very minimum sugar just for tad bit of sweetness
- Flavors : Cardamom powder and kalonji seeds are used in the dough.
How to Make Yemeni Doughnuts
Please check recipe card below for exact measurements of each ingredient used and also for the detailed instructions
- In a wide bowl, take flour, yeast and sugar. Whisk to form a uniform mixture. To this add cardamom powder and kalonji seeds and mix well.
- Slowly add warm water and oil and form a sticky dough. Do not add more flour while making dough. The dough has a sticky to touch, but doesn't stick to hands or bowl.
- Let the dough rest in a oiled bowl for an hour until doubles in size. Once it doubles, take it to a flat surface.
- Punch down the extra air, Divide the dough into 2. Roll each portion into ⅛ thick disc. Cut into 8 portions like a pizza.
- Cover the cut dough and let it rest for 15 minutes. Heat oil and deep fry the bread in batches.
- Let it puff, flip and cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove it on a kitchen towel. Serve it warm.
Yemeni Bakhmri | Yemeni Khameer | Yemeni Doughnuts
Ingredients
- 1 cup All purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoon Instant yeast
- 3 tablespoon sugar
- 6 -7 tablespoon of warm water Milk can be used for a rich taste
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon kalonji seeds
- ½ teaspoon cardamom powder
- 250 ml Oil for frying I have used sunflower oil
Instructions
- Take flour, yeast and sugar in a large bowl. Mix well to get a homogeneous mixture. To this add kalonji seeds and cardamom powder. Mix well.
- Add warm water to this flour mix slowly and start kneading a sticky dough. Towards the end add oil and knead around 8-10 minutes to get a soft dough. ,
- The dough will be sticky to touch, but does not stick to the bowl or hand. Do not add more flour while kneading, you can sprinkle a teaspoon or two.
- Let the kneaded dough rest in a well-oiled bowl for an hour or until it doubles in size.
- Once it doubles, take the dough out of the bowl, dust your kneading surface with flour.
- Punch the dough down, divide it into two portions. Keep one portion covered, Dust the other portion, using a rolling pin, roll it down to ⅛ inch thick disc.
- Cut the disc using a pizza cutter into 8 portions. Repeat the same with the other half of the dough. Let the rolled and cut dough rest for 15 minutes.
- Heat oil for deep frying, deep fry the doughnuts in batches, i did one at a time. Let it puff up well, flip and cook the other side too until brown.
- Remove using a slotted spoon onto a kitchen towel. Serve it warm with Adeni Chai/Arabic Shai.
Nutrition
Disclaimer
I m not a Doctor or a Nutritionist The Nutrition information provided above comes from the plugin and is only an estimate.
Srivalli
Priya let me tell you that this is my kind of breakfast too..:)..wish I had made it..very nicely shot!
MySpicyKitchen
Though we all try to run away from fried food, it does taste great. Doughnuts look very tempting and have puffed up so well. Beautifully made and captured.
Srividhya
It has puffed up really well. Fried ones in the morning is little scary for me but would love to have this for snack.
Priya Suresh
Wow, i want to start my day with this doughnuts though they are deep fried, fantastic choice.
Unknown
Can I grab a few of these?? They look so heavenly...
cookingwithsapana
Very delicious looking dounts.Lovely presentation.
Sandhiya
Perfectly puffed donuts. Would love to crab few now.
Pavani
Wow, what a delicious and puffy doughnut. Looks soooo awesome.
Archana
WOw Priya I ma inving myself over. Please make them for me.
Kalyani
my little one too is crazy about doughnuts. must make this at home for a variation, and that's quite a collection of doughnuts you have there, Priya !
Neha
Priya, loved going through your post. Can very aptly say that there is much more than meet the eye. There is much more to know about doughnuts than just the round ring ones. I would like to give this a try. I was captivated by the first image in the beginning of the post.
Mayuri Patel
Priya these Yemeni Bakhmri remind me so much of the Eat African coastal specialty Mahamri. And to think both names sound so similar except for the B and M. Not surprising as years ago we Omani and Yemeni traders came all the way to the coast of East Africa for trade. Now you have tempted me to try these doughnuts with kalonji.
Seema Sriram
doughnuts are an area I have not much explored. So it was lovely to read and see the variety of doughnuts you have explored. As for this recipe, brilliant especially with Yemeni chai.
Sarika Gunjal (SpiceZone)
I have never had Arabic Doughnuts.. these bakhmri look interesting. Would love to give it try soon.
Veena Krishnakumar
Wow Priya these look so good. It is ages since I made dough nuts and after seeing your post , I am so tempted to try these. Can these be baked ?
Priya_Srinivasan
Thanks veena, it is a yeasted dough, so you should be able to bake it, but i haven't tried, but i m sure it would come brilliant in air-fryer.
Sammy
Hi, I’m of yemeni descent and ate these quite often when made by the elders. Can I air fry or bake them for a healthier alternative?
Priya_Srinivasan
Hi, thank you for stopping by. I think you can, thought i haven't tried it personally. at 180C for 3-4 minutes should work. If you try them, do let me know. I will add it to the recipe notes.