Kattama, or qator, is a style of pan-cooked flatbread found across Central Asia—coiled, pressed, and fried into golden, flaky rounds. Often made with wheat and ghee, it’s the kind of bread you tear apart with your hands and eat with your eyes closed. It crackles at the edges and folds like paper near the center.

This version carries that spirit without the weight. Mashed winter squash brings silkiness to the dough, while cassava holds its form without grain. Rolled thin and spiraled by hand, each round crisps in the pan with a lacy edge and tender body. Topped with garlic or herbs, it’s a quiet celebration of texture—folded, pressed, and pan-kissed.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup mashed roasted winter squash (kabocha or butternut), cooled

• 1 cup cassava flour

• 2 tablespoons tapioca flour

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• ¼ cup warm water, added gradually

Optional Finishing

• Crushed dried herbs (thyme, oregano, or parsley)

• Garlic mash (roasted garlic + squash mash)

Method

1. In a medium bowl, whisk cassava flour, tapioca flour, and salt.

2. Add mashed squash and lemon juice. Stir until a crumbly dough forms.

3. Gradually add warm water, kneading until you get a soft, pliable dough. Cover and rest for 10 minutes.

4. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll each one thin between parchment sheets into a wide oval or rectangle.

5. Lightly score or brush the surface with mashed garlic (optional), then roll the dough into a long rope.

6. Coil the rope into a spiral shape. Flatten slightly with your palm.

7. Heat a dry cast iron or nonstick pan over medium.

8. Place one spiral into the pan and cook for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown with a slightly crisp exterior. Repeat for all spirals.

9. Optional: While still warm, top with crushed herbs or a light smear of garlic mash.

To Serve

• Alongside roasted vegetables or sautéed greens

• With carrot-ginger purée or herbed sweet potato mash

• As a scoop for soft root-based dips

• Folded and stacked with wild mushroom sauté

Notes from the Kitchen

• Resting the dough helps cassava hydrate fully—don’t skip it.

• Keep the spirals thin when coiling; thick spirals won’t cook evenly.

• A dry cast iron pan yields the best crisp—avoid oil for this method.

• Store leftovers in parchment at room temperature for one day. Reheat in a dry skillet to restore crisp.

It’s not quite a pancake. Not quite a bread. It folds like fabric, tears like pastry, and cooks like memory—one side at a time. These are the things made slowly. Pressed between palms. Turned with care. You don’t rush a spiral.