Arabic & Levantine Pantry Guide
Saj Bread (Markouk / Shrak): Paper-Thin Levantine Flatbread Baked on a Domed Griddle
Saj bread (also known as markouk in Lebanon and Syria, and shrak in Jordan and Palestine) is an ultra-thin, wide unleavened flatbread baked in seconds over a convex metal dome called a saj. Soft, pliable and blistered, it is the prized wrap for toasted shawarma, saj manakish and Jordanian mansaf.
The Art of the Dome and the Dough Cushion ('Kabbareh')
Watching a skilled baker make saj bread is pure theatre: starting with a simple, well-rested dough of flour, warm water and salt (traditionally unleavened), the baker flattens a ball of dough, tosses it deftly from arm to arm in a spinning circle until it stretches wide, and drapes it across a round, tightly stuffed cloth pillow called a 'kabbareh' or 'kara'. With one swift press, the paper-thin sheet is laid onto the upturned, convex iron dome (the saj), where it blisters and bakes in under a minute.
Three Regional Names: Saj, Markouk and Shrak
Across the Levant, this feather-light bread goes by three beloved names: in the mountains of Lebanon and Syria it is called 'markouk' ('thinly stretched'); in Jordan and Palestine it is known as 'shrak', where it lines the bottom of the communal platter for Jordanian mansaf to soak up the tangential jameed yogurt sauce beneath the rice and lamb; and in city street-food shops everywhere it is simply called 'saj bread'.
The Ultimate Wrap for Arabic Shawarma and Hot Manakish
Because saj bread is a single, gossamer-thin sheet rather than a thick two-ply pita pocket, it wraps tightly around fillings without cracking and toasts to a shattering crispness on a panini press when brushed with garlic sauce or chicken drippings. Street vendors also spread zaatar and olive oil, akkawi cheese or creamy labneh directly onto the bread while it is still on the hot dome.