Dough.

dough.

By Kanika Mathur

“ Well, bread is very important. A meal is not a meal without bread, is it? ” Marco Pierre White

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS So far, I’ve been sharing my food journey through my blog, but now thanks to my professor, Ms Megna Kalvani, I have got a chance to share my love of all things food through a different medium - print. I would also like to thank my family and friends for their constant support. Their patience with me is truly commendable as they stuck by my side everytime I hit a road-block.

It is not a muffin, nor a souffle in the background. Nor is it a teaspoon full of some unknown powder. It is yeast, sprinkled in the front, and bubbling away in the background.

A loaf of Bread

CONTENTS |

8

A Tale of Crumbs - In Conversation With Anastasya Dudnik | 12

A Trail of Crumbs - Exploring Breads in UAE | 20

From the Heart of Tandoor

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21

From the Masonry Oven

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29

From the Heart of Ethiopia

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33

From the Desert of Arabia

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37

WELCOME!

My journey with food began when I was probably 10 years old. I still remember that day when I made my first “dish” - 2 slices of bread topped with cheese spread, sprinkled with black pepper and a bit of salt. It wasn’t much, but I was still very proud of what I had accomplished.

I had undertaken this venture to the kitchen with hopes of calming down my rumbling stomach, which was emanating noises as loud as the cry of a thousand whales. Little did I know, that one day, my kitchen and I would become inseparable, just like peanut butter and jelly. I have basically been unstoppable ever since then.

My journey is still going strong. I try to seize every opportunity to cook up a storm.

I hope you enjoy the ride!

A LOAF OF BREAD

“A loaf of bread”

A concoction of flour, water, and yeast which is baked that is the definition of bread in simplistic terms. Upon further examination of the physical bread, one can definitely gather that bread is more than a mere concoction.

It has been one of the many edibles for sustenance. Not only is it an important source of carbohydrates, it’s also portable and compact, which helps to explain why it has been an integral part of our diet for thousands of years.

In fact, recent scholarship suggests humans started baking bread at least 30,000 years ago.

Prehistoric man had already been making gruel from water and grains, so it was a small jump to starting cooking this mixture into a solid by frying it on stones. A 2010 study by the National Academy of Sciences discovered traces of starch (likely from the roots of cattails and ferns) in prehistoric mortar and pestle-like rocks. The roots would have been peeled and dried before they were ground into flour and mixed with water. Finally, the paste would be cooked on heated rocks. bread /bred/ noun 1. food made of flour, water, and yeast or another leavening agent, mixed together and baked. “a loaf of bread” ISSUE | 10

And then came the yeast. Yeast floats around in the air, looking for a nice place to make a home—like a starchy bowl of flour and water. It is believed that the first leavened bread was likely the result of some passing yeast making a home in a bowl of gruel. The yeast began eating the sugars present in grain, and excreting CO2, producing bubbles that resulted in lighter, airier bread. That is exactly what made yeast a special ingredient. The yeast served as what is called a leavening agent, which refers to anything that helps bread fluff up and rise.

Commercial yeast production dates back to the skilled bread makers of Ancient Egypt around 300 B.C. Slowly and steadily bread has evolved from the food of the prehistoric to more refined versions that we see today. The use of yeast gave way to the transition from flatbread to fluffed bread such as pita bread from the Middle East.

Flour was next on the list of ingredients to be refined. Initially, coarsely ground grains were used to make bread which reflected in its texture. The results of the method can also be seen today in Pumpernickel, which is a rustic, European bread. A proper milling device, consisting of grains being sandwiched between two stacked stones, which were rotated by animals, was used then. This has given rise to the flour mills that we know today, which shovel out tonnes of finely ground flour.

Bread has come a long way since then. Bread is not just an accompaniment for curries, tea, dips, but has now found an identity as a whole meal in itself. Each country has a different style of not only making their bread but also eating it.

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A TALE OF CRUMBS - In Conversation With Anastasya Dudnik

Traditional bread making involved basic ingredients - flour, salt, yeast, water and herbs or sweeteners. But with the advent of modern technology such as steel rollers to mill flour or instant yeast, the production of bread has become faster and cost effective.

Where Dudnik comes from, which is Ukraine, sourdough breads using black flour are tradition.

The sourdough starter, called “dasbar” begins the bread making process.

Dasbar is a liquid condiment which is used to add sourness to the bread. The black flour adds not only an intense flavor, but also a darker color. Black flour is just wheat which has not been ground finely. This adds a slightly coarse texture to the bread.

Despite this, the love for handmade bread doesn’t seem to have diminished in the hearts of some. Although the process of making bread sounds tedious and time-consuming, it is well worth the effort. Ukrainian sous-chef, Anastasya Dudnik couldn’t agree more.

“Machines that make bread are not all that bad. They give you consistent results. But handmade bread not only looks different, but also tastes different. Personally, if I go to the market and see a baker pulling fresh bread out of the oven, I’d always choose that over bread made by machines.”

While one may think of bread as a fully-developed, noninnovational food commodity, Dudnik believes otherwise.

“People are always discovering ways to reinvent the bread.

They may add nuts, seeds, or even play with different types of flours. The bread develops generation after generation, with more bakers adding leaving their mark in the bread world.”

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So far, only the ingredients used in bread seemed to have been stealing the show. While quality ingredients play a significant role in the bread making process, choosing the right oven is equally important.

“

They may add nuts, seeds, or even play with different types of flours.

The bread develops generation after generation”

In professional kitchens, the use of convection ovens is quite prominent. Convection ovens offer heat to dough from both the top and the bottom.

This is responsible for the crustiness of the bread - the slight crunch that one may hear while making slices of bread. Pretzel buns are a perfect example of breads that are made in convection ovens.

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1.

2.

The oven above is a convection oven, which is perfect for making crusty bread such as the Pretzel Bun. On the right, the oven is a steam oven, which uses a stone plate to give the bread a similar crust as a brick oven.

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A TRAIL OF CRUMBS - Exploring Breads in the UAE

FROM THE HEART OF TANDOOR - Tandoori Roti

The word tandoor is said to have been derived from the Persian word “Tannur�. It refers to a cylindrical, vertical, metal or stone oven which is commonly used to make flatbread. In older days, the tandoor was heated up using wood or charcoal.

Using charcoal as an ignition medium ensured that the smell of gas stayed clear off the tandoori platter. The drawback however was the fact that the temperatures could not be controlled.

In the modern day, thr use of gas and electricity to fire up the tandoor gives a certain amount of control over temperatures. The temperatures of the tandoor can rise up to 490 Celcius, thus requiring tremendous amount of skill to be able to cook food inside the tandoor.

Once the art of cooking in a tandoor is skillfully mastered, the resulting product emanates a delicious fragrance and carries with it a hint of deep smokiness.

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2

1.

3.

The process of making Tandoori Roti begins with selecting good quality flour. A mix of wheat flour and all purpose flour is used to give stability and elasticity to the dough. (fig 1.) The dough is then kneaded using a kneading machine (fig 2.) after which mounds of dough are shaped.

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The dough is then rolled out into the shape of a circle, and indented with the help of a scalloped tool and prepped to go inside the tandoor.

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The flatbread then bubbles up till it becomes golden brown and the dough is thoroughly cooked.

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The finished product is a nice piece of flatbread which is then served with an array of curries.

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FROM THE MASONRY OVEN - Bolani ( Afghani Roti )

Bolani is a stuffed flatbread hailing from Afghanistan.

It comes with an array of fillings as well, ranging from potatoes, cheese, pumpkin, spinach and lentils. Bolani is usually fried on special occasions. However, baked Bolani is gaining popularity in order to cut back on fat.

Al Mizhar bakery, which is located in the crowded, narrow lanes of Bur Dubai is one of the many bake shops that sell Bolani. Since two years of establishing their store, worker Mohammed Ali says that they’ve built a good rapport with the surrounding residents. “We have a decent number of orders coming in daily. On an average, we sell 1,500 rotis a day.” says Ali. Ali begins the roti making process by making a fresh dough. The dough consists of All Purpose Flour, oil, salt, and water. The dough is left to rest to develop the gluten.

Once that’s done, another worker divides the dough into portions, about the size of a golf ball. Ali takes the portions and stretches them out between his fingers. The roti is placed in the brick oven, for about 3-4 minutes. Once the roti bubbles up to a crisp, it is removed using a wooden peel, and bagged up for a price of AED 1.00 – 5.00.

This bakery makes just 4 types of Bolani’s- cheese, potato, plain, and even takes on a middle-eastern spin with their specialty - Za’atar.

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FROM DESERTS OF ETHIOPIA - Injera

Injera is an East African sourdough-risen flatbread with a unique, slightly spongy texture. It is traditionally made out of teff flour.

Injera usually takes 2-3 days to be made. A mix of ground teff flour and water is prepared, which serves as a sourdough starter. This mix is then left to ferment, giving a mildly sour taste to the Injera. The injera is then shaped into a flat pancakes and then cooked on an electric or clay plate, which is specifically designed for this flatbread.

Teff refers to tiny, iron-rich granules. The production of Teff is limited to regions with adequate rainfall, making it expensive for the average household. The special quality about teff is that it contains no-gluten, making it a perfect substitute for vegan or gluten-intolerant individuals.

Injera is traditionally served with vegetable or meat stews.

The stew is placed in the middle of the Injera and the way one eats the meal is by tearing off pieces of Injera and scooping up the gravy. Thus, Injera almost becomes a combination of a plate, a spoon, and food simultaneously.

In the UAE, Injera is not made fresh. The reason behind this is the unavailability of the teff flour. Hence, the flatbread is cargoed daily at the Zagol Betitfiko restaurant, located in Bur Dubai.

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FROM THE OASIS OF ARABIA - Khubz

Khubz, khoubz or khobz, the Arabic word for bread, is usually used by Arabic speakers to refer to the flatbread also known as pita that forms a staple of the local diet from the Arabian Peninsula.

Khubz was traditionally baked in a tannuur, The dough is prepared using all purpose flour, yeast, salt, and water.

This dough is then left to proof in a warm place. Khubz is either prepared in a clay oven or an electric oven.

With the growing importance of using healthier versions of flour to prepare bread, khubz is also made using wholewheat flour and bran flour. The result is that bran khubz does not rise as much and is also not as soft as the khubz made with all purpose flour.

Khubz is traditionally served with a dip called Hummus, which consists of finely ground chickpeas, garlic, salt, tahini, olive oil and lemon juice. The creaminess and richness of the chickpeas, the depth of flavor from the olive oil, and the nuttiness of the tahini go well with the perfectly risen khubz.

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