Friday, September 17, 2010

Rajasthani Salt and Spice Bread / Indian Potatoes, Peas, and Cauliflower / Dal (all vegan)

This flatbread is my new favorite food--it's completely addictive. And, it's simple to make so it's good for bread baking beginners.

The dough is only two ingredients--flour and water. There is minimal kneading and since the dough is yeast-free, it's easy to roll-out.

I changed up the seasonings in the bread because I can't stand cilantro (fresh coriander). I used salt, pepper, paprika, and some cayenne. And, I used vegan margarine instead of ghee (clarified butter) to keep this dairy-free.

The recipes is from Flatbreads and Flavors by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duquid.
Flatbreads & Flavors: A Baker's Atlas

Salt and Spice Bread
2 cups unbleached bread flour
1 cup water
2 teaspoons cumin seeds, toasted and ground
1 1/2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons ghee

Place the flour in a medium bowl and make a well in the center. Add the water and mix well. Knead until you have a smooth ball of dough (a few minutes).

Place the dough in a clean bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it rest for 30 minutes, or up to sixty minutes.

Divide the dough into eight equal pieces. With the palm of your hand, flatten each piece on a lightly floured surface, and set aside. Cover the dough to prevent it from drying out.

Preheat a heavy skillet over medium heat.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one piece of dough into a 6-inch circle. Brush the dough with a bit of ghee and sprinkle on some of the the salt, spices, and cilantro. Roll the dough up fairly tightly as you would a jelly roll, to give a long cigar shape. Anchoring one end on your work surface, shape the bread into a flat coil, pressing the other end into the coil to make an even round. Flatten gently with the palm of your hand, then roll out to a circle about 5 or 6 inches across and less than 1/4-inch thick.

Rub the heated skillet with a lightly oiled cloth or paper towel. Cook the bread for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on the first side, or until lightly golden brown. Then turn and cook for 1 minute longer. Assemble and shape another bread while the first is cooking. Wrap the breads to keep them warm.

To go with the most amazing flatbread ever, I made Indian potatoes, cauliflower, and peas--3 of my favorite veggies in one dish. I also made a simple dal.

Here is the recipe for the cauliflower, and this is a nice easy dal recipe.

3 comments:

  1. Love the bread recipe. Easy!

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  2. I haven't tried making bread yet, but I have been wanting to. I think this recipe would be a great one to start with. :o) Thanks for sharing the recipe!

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