Two Ingredients bread recipe - yeast free and oven free!

picture wildcard

From my travels and cooking trips to Europe over the last 30 years which includes visiting Poland. I found a recipe for bread that I adore which has only two ingredients in it and pinch of salt, it very easy to make and its yeast-free for those that are struggling to find yeast in the shops.

I grew very fond of the country and enjoyed all its offerings including their food. After my initial cooking booking. I was very happy to be invited back many times as they loved the spice influenced cuisine which I prepared whilst educating and entertaining.

The polish people loved my Indian cuisine and I loved this bread recipe they shared with me... featured on the BBC Radio 4 Food program

This is the perfect way to fill the gaps we are facing with our shopping in these difficult times and this recipe is a stress-free way to make bread which will serve your family well and uses no oven! 

If you wish to also make bread with yeast and if you are struggling to find yeast you can try making your own yeast at home with this recipe. 

Ingredients

200g yogurt
200g plain flour or self-raising flour
pinch of salt

Method
Sieve the flour into the yogurt and add a pinch of salt to form a dough. Using your hands to bind it together.

Leave the dough to rest for 15 mins placing a clean cloth over the bowl and then separate it into 6 balls- flattened them out like burgers and 1/2 inch thick and cover allow the baps to rest for further 5 mins

picture- wildcard

Heat a heavy bottom frying pan and smear it with some cooking oil - remember we are not shallow frying here merely lining the pan so the bread does not stick and turns golden brown on each side.

Cook on each side for 10 mins with the lid on a low to medium heat.  The baps will turn golden brown on each side and the steam will cook the bread inside -allow them to cool on a rack and slice in half and eat with a savoury or sweet filling of your choice.

Homemade yeast

Homemade yeast – easy recipe! 

Photo credit Mark Breadmd

It has become increasingly difficult to buy yeast in light of the current situation, so I been playing around with some homemade recipes and this one which I have tried and tested. I have found it to be the easiest and have had some good great results from it, which I share with you here. It is really great used for sourdough bread...

I suggest you first, read the full recipe before you start. Gather all your ingredients and equipment. Feed the process calmness and love and it will sure- help you make lovely a sourdough bread.

So here goes!

Ingredients

 Equal parts spring water (bottled water) and flour (plain flour – also known as all-purpose) 

 I used 1 cup of flour and one cup of spring water

(make sure the water it’s not chlorinated – it can also be labelled filtered)

Method

1. Stir the non-chlorinated/filtered spring into the flour -use a large bowl or a jar with a wide mouth and lid and give it a good mix. Cover loosely with a cloth or place the lid on loosely on the jar and let it sit on a kitchen counter for 60-72 hours (2-3days) or until bubbly before use.
2. To use and feed your starter; take out the amount needed for your recipe and then replace that amount with equal parts of flour and spring water. (the feeder ratio is the same as the initial measurements)
3. If you keep your starter at room temperature feed it every other day, and if it's refrigerated, feed it weekly. If you accumulate more starter than you need, simply share. (Make sure if you are sharing that you stay safe within the guidelines given and not to sneeze or cough over it whilst making it.)

Tips

• Leave the starter dough in a dry warmish place covered with a cloth or pop the lid on loosely if using a jar.
• Make sure you use non-chlorinated (filtered) bottled water as this will help not to kill the yeast
• The bubbles formed are carbon dioxide and the yeast must be foaming before you use- so watch out for those lovely holes
• If you see a layer of water on the top – that is normal just use less liquid when feeding it next time
• Beware of the smell it’s all normal! However, you know if it’s gone off - it will not just smell yeasty but really fowl so if this happens to it start again!

Give it a go and let me know- I would love to hear your thoughts, comments & see your pictures

Stay safe!

                                                                                                                                  (c) Gita Mistry 2020

Plain flour or all purpose flour bread recipe

If you can't find bread flour try this recipe using plain flour ( all-purpose flour) 

A recipe shared with me so I am resharing with few changes as I find this works better.

 Ingredients

• 8g fast-action dried yeast
• 1 tsp white caster sugar
• 500 g plain flour, plus a little extra for dusting
• 1 tsp fine table salt
• 1tsp olive oil, for greasing and 1 tsp for dough mixture

• 300ml warm water do not use boiling

 Method

•1. Place the yeast and caster sugar in a bowl with the warm water. Set it aside10 minutes until it begins creates holes in the mixture
•2 Sift the flour into a large bowl and stir in the salt, making sure it is evenly distributed. Create a well and then gently pour in the liquid and one teaspoon of oil. Bring together to form a dough. If the dough is a little dry at this point, add a little more water and make sure it is fully combined. Dust the work surface with a little flour and knead the dough for 15-20 minutes until smooth and stretchy.
•3 Shape the dough into a round or oval then place on a baking tray dusted with a little flour. Cover with oiled cling film and leave to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 230°C, fan 210°C, gas 8.
•4 Remove the cling film, dust the top of the loaf with a little flour. Turn the oven down to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and bake for 20 minutes. Then check every 1-2 minutes until risen and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack and tap the base of the bread to check it is cooked – it should sound hollow. The loaf is best enjoyed warm from the oven. 

Tip: plain flour requires more kneading than strong bread flour in order to form the gluten and brush with butter to get softer crust if fancy

I will be posting out an old family recipe for creating yeast at home next... as many are struggling to find any and have sent me requests for it and other recipes with or without yeast

Enjoy                                                                                                                             (c) Gita Mistry 2020

Gita Mistry debut food demonstration in Belfast at Indie Fude

Indie Fued

30 Castle Street, Comber, Co Down, BT23 5DZ

02891226359

www.indiefude.com

  

Gita Mistry will be demonstrating at Indie Fude on 28th August 2019 at 1.30pm. Just in time for lunch….

Her demonstration will include dishes from India as well as dishes to her own design and spicing, including her award-winning dishes of potato, cashew nut and lime leaves with onion seeds accompanied by a cucumber raita from many generations back.

She won BBC TV's Eating with the Enemy competition-  Britains best cook- beating tens of thousands of entrants and winning over top food critics.

Critics say she is

 “The greatest Indian cook in Britain” 

  Jay Rayner the Observer

 "Gita touched the cornerstones of food enjoyment and it was - better than sex"             Kate Spicer The Times

" Gita s food is magnificent- well balanced and judged” 

   Charles Campion author of the London restaurant Guides

“Top Cooking and tremendously skill full "

  James Martin BBC, ITV

Gita Lives in Bradford and travels with her work nationally and internationally. She was taught to cook Gujarat style food by her mother who was a very accomplished cook. She received formal training at Leeds College and the in the kitchens at Atul Kochhar and Philippe Gaertner In France. She has received commissions to cook and demonstrate and present In Austria, France, Germany, Poland the UK and USA and even India, her style of food is influenced by much travel and her influences of being brought up in the UK. She addresses audiences and discusses food and cooking in her online publication (Blog), social media and in-person through to radio and or TV when asked.

Contact : www.gitamistryfood.co.uk gita@gitmaistryfood.co.uk, gitamistryfood@gmail.com

Navaratri and Indian fudge

Saffron and Cardamon Penda

Hindus in India and around the world have been celebrating Navatri . This is a 9-day festival of dance and song.  The name comes from “nava” which means “nine” and “ratri” which means “night”.  The festival leads up to Diwali which means “festival of light” and takes place between 11 and 15 Nov this year.

Navatri occurs  in Autumn which is a time of renewal.  Just as the shedding of leaves makes way for fresh growth so Navaratri rejuvenates the inner spirit.  The festival encourages us to look inwardly, to find renewed energies for the spirit and to feel creative with our lives.

 Garba dance

The festival is celebrated in many ways. Local community groups get together for dancing and feasting.  Garba and Dandiya rass danced to worship Goddess Durga s. The sticks dance representing her swords. Representing good over eveil. There are special foods to cleanse the body none of which contains meat.  It has to be remembered that India has 400 million vegetarians - several times the population of the UK - a topic to which I shall return on another occasion.

One of those special foods is saffron and cardamom penda which is a bit like fudge.  I made some for the festival and here is my recipe.

Ingredients

1½ cups milk powder . ½ cup sugar . ½ cup ghee . ½ cup  milk.2 to 3 strand of saffron . Drop orange food colouring.10- 15 cardamon pods ( green) . Pistachio s to decorate.

Method

1. Boil the milk add a few stands of saffron and simmer on a lower heat. Add the sugar and dissolve and ghee and allow it to cook though for 4- 5 mins until the milk has reduced a little. Stir regularly.

2. Lower the heat further and stir in the milk powder along with some cardamom seeds powder to taste. Remove seeds from the pods and crush using a pestle and mortar. Cook for further 3- 4 mins. Stirring continulously. You will know when its done as it starts to come away from the pan sides.

3. Remove the mixture from the heat and add the food colouring and stir in and allow it to cool for15 mins.

4. Spread  it out evenly on a baking tray until set and cut into cubes and press in a half cut pistachio into each cube.

5. Alternatively omit the food colouring and make little round balls and flatten between your hands and add shavings of pistachio nuts on top.

These can be stored for up to 2 weeks in  an airtight container. These pendas can be presented to the goddesses for their blessing. The blessed food is called Prashad to be shared out amongst friends and family.

Gita's Healthy Happy Chips!

Last night I fancied some chips but not from the "chippy" as we say in Yorkshire. The fish and chip shop to every one else around the Globe.  

So I made my healthy happy chips at home. Here is my recipe that I liked to share with you. Chips made from 1llb (500g) chips and just 2 teaspoons of oil. 

For my recipe you need to peel the skins off or as I have done keep the skins on (making sure to give them a good scrub). I like mine fairly chunky but I will leave that up to you. I would recommend a floury potatoes that enables a softer centre and and a crispier skin. Varieties I suggest are Maris Piper and King Edward . 

So, you will need:


Ingredients
500g gm of potatoes 
10 ml of vegetable oil
(salt and vinegar to taste) or spices if you prefer.

Method:

Heat the oven at 200 oc and the baking tray
Prepare the potatoes into chips or wedges

Place them in a bowl and pour over the oil, using your hands coat them evenly, sprinkle over a little salt.

Place them on the hot baking tray and spread them out evenly. Cook for  for 25 mins. Open the oven once half way through cooking and giving them a turn. Once golden and crispy on the outside and soft in the middle they are ready. To give them that chip shop style feel and taste wrap the chips in cat paper or grease proof paper and place them back in the oven for 5 mins (switched off) - sprinkle on some more salt and vinegar.

Alternatively try this spice combination to jazz up those spuds and have them with a spicy mayo for which you will need a large dollop of good mayonnaise. Mix into that- pinch of smoked paprika, Himalayan pink salt & pepper, crushed roasted cumin and coriander seeds and small pinch of nutmeg and glove and touch of cardamon.

Enjoy!

Spiced fruit scone recipe (vegatarian)

Here's a quick recipe for some a brilliant for an egg free fruit some scones which I baked over the is weekend.

(c) 2015 Gita Mistry, all rights reserved

Put oven on: gas mark 6, 180 oc fan assisted 170oc
Grease a non stick baking tray (I find using a roasting tin bakes a softer scone)


Ingredients:


8oz self raising flour
2oz hard butter
1tsp baking powder
1oz caster sugar (more to taste - But I find this perfect as the dried fruit is sweet)
Pinch of salt
3oz dried sultanas or raisins
1/2 tsp of mixed spice
A drop of vanilla essence
120ml cream, milk or butter milk (can be mixture of them)


Method


1. Rub the butter into the in to the flour and add in baking powder and pinch of salt. (Rubbing is a method using your finger tips -take small amounts of mixture and rub the flour into the butter until is resembles breadcrumbs. Raise the mixture to some height whilst doing this over the bowl to aerate it.


2. Mix in the sugar and fruit and spice.


3. Add in 120ml of liquid, vanilla essence and bind it together with a flat knife


4. Using your hand bring it together to form dough.
Pat out in an 8 inch circle (1 inch in height) score the top in 8 pieces like the picture. Brush the top with milk (not the sides to give it colour contrast)


5. Bake for 20 mins and remove onto a cooling rack and simply enjoy with some best butter and jam is desired.


Of course this is not just for vegetarians! I took this bake to a party last night and they went in a shot...