Region
Sulaymaniyah / Halabja
Serves
4
Prep time
90 min
Kelane is one of the most beloved breads of the Kurdish mountains: a round flatbread stretched over the saj — a domed iron plate on a low woodfire — and stuffed with a generous mix of spring onions, dill, coriander, wild mint and sometimes crumbled white cheese. The villages around Sulaymaniyah, Halabja and Penjwen are famous for it. It is eaten hot off the saj with a glass of black tea, the spring-morning ritual of stone-house verandas. Its bouquet of fresh greens makes it a symbol of the Kurdish celebration of spring.
Ingredients
For the dough:
• 500 g flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 300 ml warm water
For the filling:
• 1 bunch spring onions
• 1 bunch dill
• 1 bunch coriander
• ¼ bunch mint
• 100 g white cheese (optional)
• 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper
Instructions
1. Knead the flour and salt with water into a smooth dough. Cover and rest 1 hour.
2. Wash and finely chop the greens. Mix with the cheese, salt and pepper.
3. Divide the dough into orange-sized balls. Roll each into a thin disc.
4. Spread two spoons of filling over half the disc, fold the other half on top, press the edges to seal.
5. Heat a saj or flat pan on medium heat — no oil.
6. Cook each kelane for two minutes per side until golden spots appear.
7. Brush with a little ghee and serve at once.