Mandarin cider served in a glass Holiday Mandarin Mulled Cider BBQ sauce Diavola pizza served Spicy BBQ Diavola Pizza Warm Bagna Cauda dip served in a fondue pot with fresh vegetables Classic Bagna Cauda with Winter Crudités Blueberry pretzel plated Soft Blueberry Pretzels with Cinnamon Sugar Savory meat and vegetable biscuits served Savory Meat and Vegetable Stuffed Biscuits Alboronía with pumpkin, eggplant and fresh cilantro served Spanish Pumpkin and Eggplant Stew (Alboronía) Slice of Fainá chickpea flatbread with tomato sauce Chickpea Flatbread with Tomato Sauce (Fainá) Elote with Sour Cream - fresh corn served with sour cream, cheese, and spicy paprika Classic Sour Cream Elote Zucchini fritters with tahini sauce Zucchini Fritters with Lemony Tahini Dip Chestnut Zongzi served on a plate Sweet Chestnut Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi) Kohlrabi calzone Roasted Kohlrabi & Mozzarella Calzone Sausage burger with cheese and vegetables Hungarian Style Pork & Sausage Burger Fig stuffed naan bread served Fig-Stuffed Naan Bread Gingerbread Waffles with orange zest Gingerbread Spiced Waffles White pizza with creamy cheese topping Extra Creamy White Pizza with Ricotta and Mascarpone Orange cider served in a glass Warm Spiced Orange Cider Beet and Leek Wrap with Peanut Butter Beet and Leek Whole Wheat Wraps with Peanut Butter Chicken Arroz Caldo served with hard-boiled eggs, scallions, and fried garlic Chicken Arroz Caldo with Hard-Boiled Eggs Greek baked giant beans served with whole wheat toast Rustic Greek Baked Beans with Whole Wheat Toast Fish pie with cauliflower mash, golden brown creamy topping and fish filling Low-Carb Fish Pie with Cauliflower Mash Mandarin cider served in a glass Holiday Mandarin Mulled Cider BBQ sauce Diavola pizza served Spicy BBQ Diavola Pizza Warm Bagna Cauda dip served in a fondue pot with fresh vegetables Classic Bagna Cauda with Winter Crudités Blueberry pretzel plated Soft Blueberry Pretzels with Cinnamon Sugar Savory meat and vegetable biscuits served Savory Meat and Vegetable Stuffed Biscuits Alboronía with pumpkin, eggplant and fresh cilantro served Spanish Pumpkin and Eggplant Stew (Alboronía) Slice of Fainá chickpea flatbread with tomato sauce Chickpea Flatbread with Tomato Sauce (Fainá) Elote with Sour Cream - fresh corn served with sour cream, cheese, and spicy paprika Classic Sour Cream Elote Zucchini fritters with tahini sauce Zucchini Fritters with Lemony Tahini Dip Chestnut Zongzi served on a plate Sweet Chestnut Sticky Rice Dumplings (Zongzi) Kohlrabi calzone Roasted Kohlrabi & Mozzarella Calzone Sausage burger with cheese and vegetables Hungarian Style Pork & Sausage Burger Fig stuffed naan bread served Fig-Stuffed Naan Bread Gingerbread Waffles with orange zest Gingerbread Spiced Waffles White pizza with creamy cheese topping Extra Creamy White Pizza with Ricotta and Mascarpone Orange cider served in a glass Warm Spiced Orange Cider Beet and Leek Wrap with Peanut Butter Beet and Leek Whole Wheat Wraps with Peanut Butter Chicken Arroz Caldo served with hard-boiled eggs, scallions, and fried garlic Chicken Arroz Caldo with Hard-Boiled Eggs Greek baked giant beans served with whole wheat toast Rustic Greek Baked Beans with Whole Wheat Toast Fish pie with cauliflower mash, golden brown creamy topping and fish filling Low-Carb Fish Pie with Cauliflower Mash
Chebab Emirati pancakes served
Sweet Arab pancakes with date syrup and honey

Emirati Yeasted Pancakes (Chebab)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Cakes and Desserts
The United Arab Emirates' answer to American pancakes, but far more exciting. The batter uses yeast, creating tons of tiny bubbles during cooking, giving it a texture like a fine sponge. Saffron, cardamom, and rose water provide that distinctive, fragrant aroma evoking Dubai markets. Most popular for breakfast, served with cream cheese or sweet date syrup.
🕒 Prep Time 40 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 55 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 280 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Middle Eastern

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Mixing bowl
  • Non-stick skillet
  • Ladle
  • Whisk

Allergen Information

⚠️ Wheat
⚠️ Milk
⚠️ Egg

Instructions

1 ✓

Mix dry ingredients: flour, milk powder, sugar, salt, yeast, baking powder, and cardamom in a bowl.

Tip: Milk powder + baking powder with yeast creates extra softness hard to achieve with plain milk.
2 ✓

Add egg, lukewarm water, and rose water. Whisk until smooth, getting a thick but pourable pancake batter.

Tip: If lumpy, strain. Smooth batter is essential for even rising.
3 ✓

Cover and rest in warm place 30-40 mins. Volume will increase, top will be full of tiny bubbles.

Tip: Bubbles indicate yeast produced carbon dioxide to 'inflate' pancake during cooking. [Fermentation].
4 ✓

Heat non-stick skillet on medium, brush lightly with oil/butter.

Tip: Don't overheat, or bottom burns before center cooks.
5 ✓

Ladle batter into skillet. Cook one side until top goes matte and many small holes appear (approx 2-3 mins).

Tip: This is 'sponging'. Flip only when top is no longer runny!
6 ✓

Flip and cook other side until golden brown (approx 1 min).

Tip: Second side cooks faster, watch out!
7 ✓

Serve warm, drizzled generously with date syrup or honey.

Tip: Traditionally served with cream cheese (e.g., labneh) to balance sweetness.

Recipe FAQ

Why no bubbles on top?
Yeast didn't work enough. Water might have been too hot (killing yeast), or you didn't rest batter long enough.
Batter too thick after resting.
Yeast batters tend to thicken. Add a splash of lukewarm water before frying to regain pancake batter consistency.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (approx. 9 oz)
  • 2 Tbsp Milk Powder (full fat)
  • 2 Tbsp Granulated Sugar
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 whole Egg (Medium)
  • 1 cup Lukewarm Water
  • 1 Tbsp Rose Water
  • 1 pinch Ground Cardamom (optional but recommended)
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp Melted Butter or Oil (for frying)
  • 1/3 cup Date Syrup or Honey (for serving)