Goan Bread

Just about three hours drive from Belgaum, Goa used to be our frequent destination to chill out and to have sea food. While the three of us were enjoying the delicious spread, my husband, being a vegetarian, had to be satisfied with Goan bread and tomato curry. But those breads used to be awesome too.

Later we found another shack owned by a husband wife couple, who would bring mixed vegetable curry to be served with pav for breakfast. I always wondered what is it that makes the Goan baked items so special. And then one day, I had an urge to try out the Goan bread. I searched the net and came across this site : http://peppermill-miri.blogspot.in/2007/11/poee-goan-bread.html

I adopted this recipe as my base and tried it out yesterday. It came out well and here it is:

Ingredients: for 9 breads

1 ½  cups wheat flour

2 cups refined flour

1 ½ tsps dried yeast

1 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

½ cup milk

¾ cups water

Instructions:

-         Dissolve sugar in ½ cup lukewarm water, add the yeast and leave aside for 10 minutes.

-         Take the wheat flour, refined flour, and salt in a large bowl, add the yeast mixture, milk and water and knead well for about five minutes.

-         Make it into a large ball and allow it to double by keeping it covered with a wet cloth in a warm place for an hour.

-         Knead the dough again, divide it into 6 portions. Roll each portion into a ball and flatten it slightly. Make a vertical slit on the top of each one with a sharp knife, and gently pull the dough apart with your fingers on either side of the slit.

-         Oil aluminum foil and keep all of these on top of it, cover with the wet cloth and leave for half an hour to rise.

-         Sprinkle a bit of dry flour on the surface of each one and bake for about 20 minutes at 200 degrees C.

-         Put the buns upside down and bake for further 5-10 minutes.

-         They are fine as a breakfast item and are equally great with a curry for lunch.