Milk bread loaf

Ingredients:

3 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 and 3/4 cups milk [warm]

2 tsps instant dry yeast

2 tsps suger

1 tsp salt

2 tbsps butter [softened]

1 tsp sesame/ nigella seeds

method;

1. Preparing the dough:

• Sift the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
• Mix the sugar and yeast in 1 cup of warm milk. Set aside for a few minutes  for the yeast to get activated.
• Add the activated yeast to the sifted flour and start bringing the dough together.
• Add the remaining milk and mix in. you now have a sticky, messy dough. [This is  how it is supposed to be].
• Start kneading the dough and continue until it becomes less sticky [ this will take about 5-6 minutes]. One or two tablespoons of flour can be added if the dough is too sticky.
• Add the softened butter and continue to knead for another 5 minutes. Your dough will now be smooth, elastic and non-sticky.

2.  First proofing

• Roll the dough into a tight ball and tuck in the edges to get a smooth round top. The top and the bowl can be brushed with a little oil.
• Cover the bowl with a damp cloth and set aside for an hour or until the dough doubles in size.

3. Second proofing

• Shape your dough into a tight cylindrical log and tuck in the edges before placing in a loaf pan lined with parchment. The top of the dough must be a smooth as possible. 
• Place the tucked side down. I have used a 8 inch wide and 3.5 inch deep loaf pan for this recipe. Cover it with a damp cloth and leave it for an hour.

Baking:

• Pre heat the oven to 200 Degrees C for 10 minutes.
• Once the dough is ready, brush the top with milk and sprinkle the nigella seeds and the sesame seeds.

• Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes at 200 degrees C and then reduce the temperature to 180 degrees C. Continue to bake for another 30-35 minutes. If the top starts browning too soon, you may cover it with aluminium foil after 20 minutes of baking. Once nicely browned and baked for 35-40 minutes your bread should be ready. Tap the top and sides of the loaf. If it sounds 'hollow' , your bread is done.

• Remove from the baking pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.

Tips:

• Oven temperature and time may vary. Keep an eye on your bread after 20-25 minutes of baking.

• The bread dough should be loose, soft and non- sticky . Please add the required amount of liquid even if it seems like a messy affair to begin with. We do not want a firm dough. You may add a little extra flour while kneading if you find it very sticky.

Quick whole wheat bread

Another experiment at bread making, and another perfectly baked bread. This one is a quick 2 hour bread. However, the process is hastened by the use of a food processor to knead. I guess without the food processor, you can add another 10-12 minutes and some exercise in the kneading process. 

Ingredients

2 Cups Whole wheat flour (atta)

1/2 + 1/4  Cup bread flour (maida)

2 Tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Salt

2 tsp Yeast (I used instant, but I guess you can use Active dried as well)

1 Egg

2 Tbsp Olive oil

2 tsp Sesame seeds

1 tsp chilli flakes

2 tsp Flax seeds

2 tsp Italian seasoning

The last four ingredients are optional. 

Method

Combine all the dry ingredients (except 1/4 Cup maida).  Put it into the food processor. Add the warm water, egg and olive oil and knead at medium speed till it forms nice soft dough. Add the leftover 1/4 Cup maida. increase speed to high for a minute.

Take out the the dough and knead a bit with your hands, turning and folding the dough. Once the dough has some spring in it, proof it for around half an hour by covering it with a kitchen towel. Unlike most dough the cue of doubling does not apply here, the dough does rise a bit though. Now take it out and flatten it out on the work surface, then roll it up to the shape of a loaf. Seal the ends. 

Grease a bread tin (4x8 in). Put in the dough with the sealed side at the bottom of the pan. Proof it again in a draught free place for another 25-30 min. Here you can use the cue of the bread rising about 1/2 - 1 inch above the bread tin.

Pre-heat your oven to 375°F / 195°C. 

Then bake the bread for 15 min at 195°C. By now the top is fairly browned. Now cover the top with aluminium foil and bake for another 15 minutes at 195°C.

Take out, let cool for 10-15 min and then slice it.

Enjoy with butter or in a sandwich.

Masala bun (keema filing)

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Another lockdown weekend, nothing much to do. There was some chicken mince so we decided to make stuffed buns. While searching the net for a good recipe, mits came across this fancy looking bun; turned out nice too.

You can substitute the mince with any number of things - potato, paneeer etc. The filling should be dry.

Recipe courtesy @Trickeys kitchen

 So here goes

This makes 10-12 buns

Ingredients-

For buns:

Flour (maida) - 550g

Oil - 90 ml

Yeast - 1 tbsp

Salt - 1 tsp

Milk - 300 ml (lukewarm)

Sugar - 25 g or 2 tbsp

Egg - 1 medium sized (plus about a tbsp for egg wash, this is optional)

For mince filling:

Chicken/lamb mince - 500 g

Onion - 1 medium chopped

Garlic - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Ginger - 1 tbsp (chopped)

Green chillies - 2 (chopped), may add more or less depending on how spicy you want it to be

Coriander chopped - as per taste

Spices (to taste) - 

dhaniya (coriander) powder - 2 tsp

Jeera (cumin) powder - 1 tsp

Pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Haldi (Turmeric) powder - 1/4 tsp

Chilly powder - 1 tsp

Chaat masala - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Salt - to taste

Preparation

 

Keema Filling

Put some oil in a pan, after it heats up, add onion, green chillies, garlic, ginger in that order.

Saute.

Add the mince and saute. Add salt. Let the water evaporat and the mince cook.

Add all the dry spices. Add fresh coriander. 

Once cooked, let it cool.

Bun dough

Mix all the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. It's a sludgy dough initially. Knead for about 8-10 min. The dough starts firming up and has a nice bouncy feel to it.

Cover and set aside in a draught free place for the dough to rise.

Once it's more than double (approx 45 min), take it out on your work area and deflate it. Divide into 10-12 equal portions.

Now stretch and fold each ball a few times and then roll into a ball and rest for another 45 min.

 

 Stuffed Bun

 

Now drizzle some flour on the work table and roll out each ball of dough to a 2-3 mm thick circle (a little thicker than the roti).

Now on one half of the circle make long cuts using a knife or a piazza cutter.

 

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Now fold the other half over the half with striation to form a semi circle. With your fingers press the edges so that they stick.

Take 2-3 spoonfuls of the mince filling and put it in the middle. Then fold over one-third of it over the stuffing. Then fold the other third over. Gently seal the edges with your fingers.

Grease your baking tray and place these stuffed triangles with the folded top side down.

Rest for another 45 min.

Once the dough has rested, pre heat the oven to 180 deg C. 

Take a mix of egg and milk and brush the top of the buns. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and or Nigella seeds.

Bake for 25 min at 180 deg C.

Once done, take out and brush with some butter for a glossy finish and cool on a wire rack for 10 min.

The buns are now ready to be devoured.