Braided Bread

Bread has always been a favorite to my dad. :)  Mom sometimes goes mad when she sees daddy eating bread, while she has prepared a 3 course meal. he he :D

I have seen a couple of different kindsa breads back home (India). But not as many as I see here. Well, I guess the main reason behind this is that bread is an integral part of the everyday meal here (U.S.A).

Just recently as I blog hopped, I noticed a lot of information and recipes on braided breads. I also noticed that a lot of the braided breads had a non-veg filling. :( So I thought that Ill try my hands on creating a vegetarian - filling braided bread. :D

And here is what I got!


Ingredients

For the filling

• Cumin seeds - 1 t
• Green Chilly - 2
• Ginger, chopped - 1' pc
• Garlic pods, chopped - 3
• Onion, chopped - 2
• Egg - 4
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 t
• Chilly Powder - 1/2 t
• Coriander Powder - 1 t
• Garam Masala Powder - 1.5 T
• Cilantro, chopped - 5 T
• Oil - 1 T
• Salt - to taste

For the Garam Masala

• Cloves - 4
• Cinnamon - 1" PC
• Cardamom - 2
• Fennel seeds - 1/2 t
• Peppercorns - 1/4 t

For the bread

• All purpose flour - 3 C
• Active dry yeast - 1 T
• Warm water - 1/4 C
• Warm milk - 1/4 C
• Sugar - 1 T
• Salt - 1/2 t
• Egg - 1
• Butter - 1/4 C
• Egg - 1 for glaze

Method

For the filling

• Heat a pan with oil.
• Add cumin seeds.
• When they splutter, add ginger, garlic and green chillies.
• Stir for a minute and add onions.
• Stir till the onions turn soft and translucent.
• Grind the spices listed under "For garam masala".
• Add all the powders, salt and stir each time you add a powder.
• Now add eggs and stir well.
• Remove from fire.
• Add cilantro and mix well.
• Keep aside.

For the bread

• Start off by add yeast and sugar to warm water.
• Mix well to dissolve and leave aside for some time and allow it to rise.
• Meanwhile, add milk, egg and butter in a big bowl.
• Sprinkle salt over this and beat well.
• Gradually, stir in the flour to this mix.
• As you add flour you will obtain a soft, workable dough.
• Cover and keep the dough, in a bowl, aside for 2 hours.
• By then the dough will rise.
• Knead the dough before rolling it into a rectangular shape.
• Sprinkle a little flour on the rolling surface so that the dough does not stick.
• Transfer the rolled rectangular dough, very carefully, onto an aluminium foil.
• Move the foil (with the rectangular dough) onto a baking tray.
• Spread the filling onto the center of the dough (as shown in the figure).
• Use a knife to cut  strips (slanting - on either side of the filling) on the rectangular dough.
• The strips will resemble a fish's bone structure :D
• Bring the strip at the left end to the opposite end, covering the filling.
• Similarly, repeat the process for the strip at the right end.
• Continue this process, for both the strips simultaneously.
• Fold in the ends of the bread and close.
• Keep it aside and allow it to rise for half an hour.
• Pre-heat the oven at 375 F.
• Beat the egg and brush it over the bread (gives a glaze to the bread).
• Bake for 30 min.
• Cool and serve yummy stuffed and braided bread.

And guess what! It came well. I took it for our Texas Hill-Country road trip.  ;)