Jachnun

Jachnun or Jahnun (Arabic: جَحْنُون‎, Hebrew: גַ'חְנוּן‎, Hebrew pronunciation: ['d͡ʒaχnun/'d͡ʒaħnun]) is a Yemenite Jewish pastry, originating from the Adeni Jews, and traditionally served on Shabbat morning. Yemenite Jewish immigrants have popularized the dish in Israel.

Jahnun is prepared from dough which is rolled out thinly and brushed with (traditionally) Samneh, which is clarified butter spiced with 'Hilbe' and aged in a smoked vessel, traditionally using smoke from the wood of a specific tree, the דודינה tree (presumably Dodonaea viscosa, sheth in Arabic, though regular clarified butter or shortening can be used. A little honey is sometimes added in addition, whereupon the dough is rolled up into rolls before cooking.

It is traditionally cooked overnight on a 'Shabbat hotplate' at a very low temperature, starting the cooking process on the Friday (usually in the morning), to be taken out and eaten on Shabbat (Saturday) morning, as it is forbidden by Jewish custom to start cooking or turn electrical implements on/off during the Shabbat. The Jahnun pieces are baked/steamed inside of a lidded pot (trapping moisture and preventing drying and burning).

This cooking process turns the dough a dark amber color, endowing it with a deep, sweet, caramelized taste. It is traditionally served with tomato salsa, a fresh grated tomato dip, hard boiled eggs, and zhug (a type of green herbal hot condiment). The dough used for Jachnun is the same as that used for malawach.