Khubz

Khubz (Ar. خبز) is an Arabic flatbread, which is part of the local diet in many countries of the Arabian Peninsula.

Khubz is a large flat bread baked in a special oven. The dough is rolled out like a pizza dough then it is positioned on a round board and slapped on to the inside wall of the large round stone oven. The impact of the slapping action causes the dough to stick to the wall of the traditional oven, where it remains until it is bubbling and brown and cooked through, then a long wire hook is used to remove the finished Khubz and throw it over to a tile counter where it is ready to be sold.

The whole process is carried out by two or three men. Khubz is much larger than a Lebanese Pita bread.

Numerous Khubz bakeries dot the neighbourhoods of Bahrain. They are essentially traditional in nature. Khubz comes cheap at a cost of 20 fils (BD 0.020) a piece (about 6 cents).

Khubz may also be called Khuboos or Khubus. The Khubz originated from the Iranian unleveaned bread called Nun and the Indian Tandoori Naan. The Khubz is larger in size to the Tandoori Naan but tastes exactly like it. The process of preparing Khubz dough and Tandoori Naan are similar. Plain flour, sea salt and yeast is used as a rising agent.

See also

• Pita bread
• Culture of Bahrain