Chapter : 3 - Bitter Melon  (Karela nu shak)

Indian Breads

            Home-make Indian breads are a common sight in the Indian kitchen.  Breads are eaten along with the meals and represent a major part of the lunches and dinners.  Though breads very according to the menu and occasion, generally,. rotlis or chapatis or  phulkas (unleavened whole wheat bread) are eaten every day of the week.  In India, bread is considered to be the staff of life.

          There are various kinds of bread made from various grains.  The most popularly used bread, �rotlis,� is made from whole-wheat flour which is full of nutritional; merits and health-promoting qualities.  There are different kinds of breads like puris, paraths, bhaturas, puran-polis, nans, khakharas and many more which are used in different parts of India.

          Indian breads are eaten with dals and vegetables.  A small piece is broken off from the bread and used like a spoon to pick up the food.  It is dipped in the dal or is ideal for mopping up gravy, sauce or yogurt raitas from the plate.

          Most of the Indian breads are round in shape, flat and think like the Mexican tortillas.  Rotlis, paraths, puran-polis, puris and bhaturas are soft while, khakharas and the palas are crisp when eaten.  The beginner might find that creating the round shape is a challenge.  But the shape of the bread makes no difference to the taste of it.  Round or square, the taste is the same.  But with practice, one can achieve the shape to add to the aesthetic virtue of the bread.

          So, when reading the recipe,. Do not give up because it seems lengthy.  Once you have mastered the art of rolling the bread, you will want to serve you family and friends fresh bread every day.

 

Indian Bread

(Rotlis)

2 cups whole wheat flour                   �-3/4 cup water

2 tsp oil                                           Ghee

1        tsp ghee or butter

1.     Mix flour, oil and ghee in a mixing bowl.  Add water and make a dough of pie dough consistency.

2.     Let mixture sit covered for at least � an hour or more.

3.     Knead for 4-5 minutes till smooth.  Divide into 12-14 balls.  Dust each ball with flour (rice or whole wheat flour).  Roll out very thin.

4.     Heat the skillet.  Place the rolled-out dough on skillet.  Raise heat to high.  When dough begins to bubble turn over.  Let other side brown for a few seconds.  As more bubbles appear, press down with a clean cloth on the edge of the rotli so it bakes evenly.  Remove from the skillet and put on a plate.  Spread � to � tsp of ghee (butter or margarine may be substituted) on the rotli.

5.     Repeat procedure for the other balls.  Yields 12-14 medium rotlis.

Reheat the leftover Indian bread (rotlis or chapatis) in minutes; Heat the skillet and place the rotli in it.  Sprinkle a little water over it.  Turhn, Repeat.  The rotlis will be as soft as fresh.  Do not reheat with butter or ghee, bread will be hard and crisp.

Banana Bread

� cup brown sugar                                1 tsp baking soda

� cup butter                                         � tsp salt

2 tsp egg substitute                               2 tsp vanilla essence

4 Tblsp water                                        � cup chopped walnuts or any

3 medium ripe hananas, mashed             nuts (optional)

2 cups whole wheat flour

1.    Mix together the egg substitute and water.

2.  Cream the sugar and butter together with an electric beater.  Beat in the egg substitute.  Add the mashed bananas.  Stir in baking soda and salt.  Add vanilla and nuts.  Mix well.

3.   Place mixture in large greased loaf pan 9 x 3 inch.

4.  Bake for 45 minutes in preheated oven 350⁰ F or until; a fork pricked in the center comes out dry.

5.   Cool before removing from pan.  Yields 1 large loaf.
 

Zucchini Thepalas

1 cup whole wheat flour                                1 Tblsp chopped coriander

4 tsp oil                                                       leaves (optional)

� tsp salt                                                     � cup grated zucchini

� tsp hing                                                   �-3/4 cup buttermilk

� tsp turmeric                                              Ghee, or butter for frying

1 tsp paprika                                             

 

1.     Mix flour, oil and salt.  Add all other ingredients except buttermilk.  Mix well.

2.     Add buttermilk till dough is of roll I dough consistency.  Let mixture sit for at least � and hour or more.

3.     Knead for 4-5 minutes until smooth and shiny.

4.     Divide into 12-14 balls.  Dust each hall with flour (rice or unbleached white).  Roll each ball into a 6-inch diameter.

5.     Heat skillet.  Plea rolled-out ball in skillet.  Raise heat to medium.  When dough begins to bubble, turn over.  Place 1 tsp of ghee (or butter) in the middle of the bread.  Turn over with a metal spatula and continue turning until; both side have a number of reddish-brown spots on them.

6.     Repeat for each ball.  Thepalas will stay for 2 days.

                                       Yields 12-14 thepalas

 

Spinach Bread

(Palak thepalas)

1 cup whole wheat flour                                1 Tblsp coriander leaves

1 Tblsp oil                                                   � tsp grated, fresh ginger root

� tsp salt                                                    �-3/4 cup buttermilk

� tsp hing                                                   � cup chopped spinach

� tsp turmeric                                              Ghee, or butter for frying

1.   Mix flour, oil and salt.  Add ginger, spinach, coriander and all ingredients except buttermilk.  Mix well.

2.   Add buttermilk till dough is of pie dough consistency.  Let mixture sit covered � hour or more.

3.   Knead for 4-5 minutes until smooth and shiny.

4.   Divide dough into 12-14 balls.  Dust each ball with flour (rice or unbleached white).  Roll out each ball into 6-inch diameter circles.

5.   Heat skillet.  Place rolled-out ball in skillet.  Raise heat to high.  When dough begins to bubble, turn over.  Place 1 tsp ghee in middle of bread.  Turn over with metal spatula, and continue turning until both sides have brown spots on them.

6.     Repeat for other balls.  These thepalas will stay for 2 days.

Yields 12-14 medium spinach thepalas.

   If your dough stiks to the plate, rub a little salt on the plate before kneading.
 

Fried Chapatis

(Paraths)

1 � cups whole wheat flour                        � cup water (approx.)

1 � Tblsp oil; or ghee                                Ghee for frying and brushing

� tsp salt

1.   In a large mixing bowl, work oil or ghee and salt into the flour.  Add water gradually to make a dough of medium soft consistency.  Cover and let stand for half an hour.

2.   Knead dough for 2-3 minutes.  Make 16-18 balls about 2 inches in diameter.

3.   Dust each ball with flour (rice or unbleached white).  Roll out each ball into 3 inch diameter rounds.  Spread one side with ghee and sprinkle some flour on it and fold in half.  Smear the folded half with ghee and fold with ghee and fold again into quarters.  Roll into 4 inch triangles.

4.   Put � tsp ghee in skillet over medium heat.  Place rolled out paratha in skillet and cook for a few seconds.  Turn over adding � tsp oil to skillet.  Turn paratha over several; times with a metal spatula until; both sides are light to medium brown.

5.   Serve hot.

                                                  Yields 16-18 parathas

Any cooked dry dal; can be mixed with enough wheat flour, salt and water to make a dough.  Knead well with a tsp of oil.  Make parches in the usual way.  They are tasty and nutritious.