Page 40 - The Majestic Balochistan

KAAK THE STONE BREAD

Background: Kaak is a native dish of Balochistan, which is also popular in Kermanshah &
Baluchestan of Iran. It is also called “Pathar ki Roti” or Stone Bread since it becomes very hard
once it has been baked. In Arab countries, the same word refers to thin savory pastry bracelets,
often flavored with aniseed or covered with sesame seeds. Kaak bi Loz is a sweet version of the
same bread made with ground almonds.
Preparation: The dough for the bread is prepared as a mixture of flour, dry yeast, sugar, salt,
milk, water and other ingredients based on the variation. The dough is then flattened and rolled
over a preheated stone. Sometimes sesame seeds are added as a complement too. The stone is
then baked in a tandoor (oven) until the bread is fully cooked. The oven is usually made of
finely hewn stone mined from the local quarry, otherwise known as the Kaak block. Once prepa-
red, it is often served with Sajji and Rosh.
Tradition: In Baloch tradition, the matriarch of the house has the most say in how the kaak is
prepared. Once the bread rises, the responsibilities of the task is handed over to the younger
women of the household to finish the job. It is also customary among many Baloch that the
father of the bride feeds his daughter Kaak the night before her wedding.