Chilli garlic whole wheat foccacia.

Chilli garlic whole wheat foccacia.

Oh so delish

All that garlic and chilli

Can you see the softness?

Just so perfect!

This was purely an overflow of my oats and flax seeds bread. The dough just kept overflowing and so it went on to my greased tray. I flattened it and topped with the paste. The recipe of the dough is Here.

Ingredients 

Oats, flaxseeds whole wheat bread fermented dough (as big as you like)

2-3 tbsp chilli garlic paste
Cloves of garlic cut into chunks
Chilli flakes to sprinkle

Olive oil to top. 

Butter to brush later

Ingredients for paste

3-4 dry red chilies

4-5 cloves garlic

Salt

1 tbsp oil

2-3 tbsp water. 

Grind this all into a thin runny paste. 

Method 

1. In a greased baking tray , flatten the bread dough into a neat rectangle. 

2. Pour the chilli garlic paste and push into the dough. A bit to be left sprinkled in top for effect.
3. Sprinkle chilli flakes and push in garlic chunks.

4.. Pour a bit of olive oil on top and keep to rise for about 30 mins. 

5. Put into the preheated oven to bake at 200 deg C till it's golden brown. 

6. Once brown, remove and apply butter. Cool and cut. Serve with salad or eat it just as it is. 

Whole wheat buttermilk loaf with oats and flax seeds

Whole wheat buttermilk loaf with oats and flax seeds

Dough ready to be baked

Soft and full of goodness

Flax seeds and oats topping

Just right for breakfast

This loaf is the 3 rd in the series of trying out this particular style of baking bread. What I liked about it is it's easy, no kneading, has scope for mistakes, takes much less efforts and time and best part being you can play around with toppings and ingredients. I am now using the basic technique and not measuring up anymore. That's what home chefs do!! No stress and less clutter. I like my recipes to be simple , less complicated, few ingredients , made with whatever is available at home and should not take long. No fun in cooking with complications. Love the big holes in it and the fact that it's full of flavor and goodness. The buttermilk was a good addition. I had enough today for a loaf and then a focaccia. My family is addicted to my breads and dislikes store bought bread now. Sharing the basic recipe used here today. 

Ingredients 

5 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp salt

2 tbsp milk powder

1.5 tsp instant yeast

2 tsp sugar

1 cup thick buttermilk 

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp vinegar

2-3 tbsp oil 

2 tbsp flax seeds

1/2 cup oats 

Method 

1. Put the flour, oats and flax seeds in a mixing bowl. Reserve a tbsp mix of oats and flax seeds for topping. 

2. Put in the salt, sugar, yeast and mix well. 

3. Mix the buttermilk, milk, water and vinegar. Keep for 15 mins. 

4. Now mix all the wet ingredients together with the dry ones. It's a thick sticky batter/ dough. Knead lightly to rule out any knots. This takes max 3-4 mins. No overworking. 

5. Add 2 tbsp oil and keep to ferment for at least 2 hours. 

6. Now pour this into a greased butter paper lined loaf tin. 

7. Keep for another hour or so. 

8. Brush with milk. 

9. Sprinkle oats and flaxseeds on top. 

10. put into a preheated oven at 200 deg C. 

11. Bake for about 45-50 mins. Pierce with a tooth pick to see if it's done. Bake till golden brown. 

12.  Remove and brush with butter. 

13.  Slice only when it's cold. 

14. Enjoy it with topping of your choice!! 

No knead crusty sour bread

Love the pores

Amazing taste and texture

Yummy with butter and wild berry preserve

Came across a recipe that inspired me to try making this version that's healthy, flavorful and so easy to bake. Making it was exciting. Takes few hours of waiting but totally worth it. Looking forward to expanding further in the next one.

Ingredients

1.5 cups white flour
1.5 cups whole wheat flour
10 gms instant dry yeast
1.5 tsp salt
3 tbsp milk powder
3 tbsp oil/butter
1.5 cups of warm milk and water mixed

Method

1. Mix all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
2. Add warmed mixture of milk and water. Its going to be very wet, but that is exactly how we want it.
3. Do not over mix it but just such that the loose dough is made.
4. Use 2 tbsp oil to get it all together.
5. Clear up the sides, all this should take you just about 4 - 5 mins.
6. Use another tbsp oil on the top to prevent it from drying it up.
7. Keep it covered in a warm place for about 2-3 hours.
8. Grease a loaf pan or line with baking paper, slightly grease it.
9. Pour the batter slowly into this and use a bit of oil to smoothen it.
10. Keep it covered up in a warm place for at least another 5 - 10 hours or even longer. This makes the dough develop big pockets of air which shall make it lighter and sour/ extra fermented.
11. The longer this stays out, the more sour it gets. So its up to us. I left it for about 9 hours and loved the sour after taste.
12. Preheat oven to 200 Deg C. Brush the top of the dough with milk, make a slit if you like.
13. Put the loaf pan into the oven. And leave it to bake until its a good golden brown on top and sounds hollow when you knock on top. 
14. Remove and brush with butter. Cool on a rack.
15. Slice and enjoy with butter, I loved it with wild berry jam and butter.

German onion cake (Modified)

A great hit with everyone. I modified it for my kitchen and is high on taste.

Ingredients

2 cups flour 

1 tsp salt

1 tsp instant yeast 

2 tbsp oil 

Warm water to knead 

1/4 cup thick curd/ cream cheese

2 sliced onions 

Italian herbs 

Crushed pepper

1/4 cup grated cheese

Method 

1. Mix flour with salt and yeast. Add warm water and knead the dough. 

2. Add oil and make into a ball and keep to prove it. 

3. Roll the dough on a baking tray. 

4. Spread yoghurt or cream cheese. 

5. Top with onions. 

6. Put seasonings. 

7.  Top with cheese and put into a preheated oven at 200 deg C and bake for about 20 mins. 

8. Cut and serve. 

Protein punch salad

At times I just like to eat my salad with a slice of bread and make it work like a brunch. Try this protien packed meal that is satisfying and extremly healthy with carbs, proteins, nuts,fruits and vegetables.

Ingredients

1 cup Moong sprouts

1/2 cup anar

1/2 chopped bell pepper

1/2 chopped apple

few raisins

2 tbsp mixed seeds

1 toasted bread cut into small cubes

1/4 cup chopped paneer pieces

Dressing

Juice of half orange

Juice of half lemon

1 tsp chaat masala

1/2 rock salt

1/4 tsp pepper powder

1 tbsp oil

salt to taste

Method

1. Toss all the ingredients for salad on the top except bread.

2. Put all the ingredients for dressings and whisk well.

3. Toss all together and pour into a bowl lined with lettuce and chill.

4. Throw the bread pieces over and serve chilled.

German potato salad

 

Lucious and cold potato salad

A mild, flavourful salad that is satisfying with its tangy tastes and is great on a summer afternoon lunch. A favourite with all age groups. Have it cold preferably.

Ingredients

500 gms boiled and sliced potatoes

1 sliced onion

1 cup or veg broth/water

salt

1 tbsp vinegar

1/2 tsp pepper crushed

Herbs of choice (oregano, chopped spring onions)

2 tbsp oil

Method

1. In a bowl put the potatoes. 

2. Mix oil with broth, salt and seasonings.

3. Toss all well. At this point it should be watery.

4. Chill and serve. 

Avacado healthy punch rotis

Half cooked and kept for later use

Ready to eat with lunch or even a cup of coffee

Experiment ..... any guesses? Well most likely hard to guess. Avocado in my rotis..... flesh , seed and all!! Very nutty taste and excellent source of antioxidants, amino acids and keep counting. Having so much avocado here in Jakarta and reading about the benefits of not just the flesh, I decided it's time to break a barrier in my mind and just go for it. Am not too fond of its flesh in salad etc so decided to knead it into a nice dough to be eaten with black dal. The result was outstanding taste. Tasted just the seed... nutty, slightly bitter aftertaste but definitely palatable. So have it a go and I can't even explain how scrumptious the rotis are. Thick, soft yet crunchy and delicious taste full of goodness of nature in my plate. Sharing the recipe with you all. Hope it brings good health with taste to us all. 

Ingredients 

1-1.5 cup while wheat flour 

1/2 mashed avocado

1/4 of its seeds grated raw

Salt

1/2 tsp ajwain

1/2 tsp chili powder 

Hing

Method 

1.Mix all the ingredients well into a tight dough and keep few mins. 

2.Roll into thick discs and toast on griddle on both sides till half cooked. 

3. With the tongs pinch the rotis. 

4. On the stove cook on both sides till cooked. 

5. Smear ghee and enjoy with good dhaba daal , pickles and onions. 

Easy peasy, lemon squeezy with tons of character and taste.