Griddle Fried Leavened Breads Recipes

UNLEAVENED BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Mix flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
• Beat eggs and melted butter together; pour into the well in the flour mixture and mix with a fork until crumbly. Slowly add milk to the flour mixture, using hands to mix the dough into a ball.
• Roll dough into a flat loaf and put onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until lightly browning along the edges, 15 to 20 minutes.

GRILLED LEBANESE FLATBREAD

Steps:

• Whisk together the salt, sugar, yeast and 1 cup warm water in a large bowl. Let the mixture sit until it begins to froth, about 5 minutes, then add the flour and mix until well combined. (If the dough is very dry, add more warm water a tablespoon at a time to moisten it.) Cover and let rise somewhere warm for about an hour.
• Meanwhile, prepare a grill; the heat should be medium-high and the rack about 4 inches from the fire. When the dough has puffed up, transfer it to a well-floured surface and knead until soft and silky, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Cut the dough into 8 equally sized pieces and roll each one out until it's about 6 inches in diameter; don't worry about making these perfectly round, but try to keep them relatively even in thickness. Brush one side of the breads with olive oil and put as many on the grill, oiled side down, as will comfortably fit at one time. While the first side cooks, brush the side facing you with more oil; when the breads begin to brown and puff up, flip them. When the second side is nicely browned, remove from the grill and sprinkle with the za'atar, if you'd like. Serve immediately.

GRIDDLED FLATBREADS

Steps:

• Tip the flours into a food processor. Add the yeast, sugar and 1tsp salt, then mix well. Pour in 350ml warm water and the oil, then process to a soft dough. Mix for 1 min, then leave until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Pulse the dough a couple of times just to knock out the air, then tip onto a floured surface. Cut the dough in half and roll out one half to a rectangle about 20 x 40cm. Trim the edges using a large sharp knife, then cut into eight 10cm squares. Line a large tray or two baking sheets with non-stick paper and arrange the bread rectangles over the tray in one layer. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Leave in a warm place for about 30 mins until the dough is just starting to rise.
• Place bread directly onto the BBQ racks and cook for a couple of mins until they puff up, then flip over and cook on the other side. Tip into a basket and serve with the dips.

BASIC STUFFED GRIDDLE-FRIED BREADS

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the stuffing. Prepare the dough. Heat the tava or griddle over medium-high heat until a sprinkling of flour immediately turns dark brown. Wipe off the flour and proceed. While the tava is heating, with lightly oiled clean hands, divide the dough equally into 10 to 12 balls and cover with foil to prevent drying. Divide it into 10 to 12 portions, about 3 to 4 tablespoons each.2. Working with each ball of dough separately, transfer to the bowl with the dry flour, press lightly to form a disc, coat generously with dry flour, and roll into a 4- to 5- inch circle. Place the stuffing in the center. Bring the edges together, pinch to seal, then shape into a ball once again.3. Flatten and coat this stuffed ball with flour and roll it into a 7- to 8-inch circle of even thickness. As you roll, keep turning and dusting the dough with flour or it may stick to the rolling surface. If the stuffing has excess moisture, the paranthas may develop tiny (or large) holes as they stretch while rolling. If that happens, seal the holes by putting a little dry flour over them (or by pinching them together).4. Place the rolled parantha on the hot tava. Turn it over when it is slightly cooked and dotted with tiny golden spots on the bottom, and 1 minute. When the other side is covered with larger brown dots, turn it over and brush lightly with oil. Flip it over again and fry the oiled side about 30 seconds. Similarly, baste and fry the other side another 30 seconds. Similarly, baste and fry the other side another 30 seconds. There should be a total of 4 turns. Remove from the griddle and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

GRIDDLE-FRIED LEGUME BREADS

Steps:

• 1. Place all the ingredients except the dal in a medium bowl and mix well with your clean fingers. Add 2/3 cup dal and stir in round circular motions until it starts to gather into a dough. (Add 1 or 2 tablespoons more flour if the dough seems sticky, or some water if it seems to firm.)2. Knead for about a minute, pressing your knuckles lightly into the dough, spreading the dough outward, then gathering the ends together toward the center with your fingers. Push down the center, then repeat pressing and gathering a few times until you have a soft and pliable dough that does not stick to your fingers. If, while kneading, the dough sticks to your hands, put a little oil or water on them.3. Cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl and set aside at least 1 and up to 4 hours. (This allows the wheat gluten to develop.) If keeping for a longer period, refrigerate the dough.4. Preheat the tava or griddle over medium-high heat until a sprinkling of the flour immediately turns dark brown. Wipe off the flour and proceed. While the tava is heating, with lightly oiled hands divide the dough into 10 to 12 round balls (depending on the size of the parantha you like.) Cover with foil to prevent drying.5. Working with each ball of dough separately, place in bowl with the dry flour, flatten it with your fingertips, and coat well with the dry flour. Transfer to a cutting board or any other clean flat surface and, with a rolling pin, roll into a 6- to 7-inch circle of uniform thickness. (If the dough sticks to the rolling surface, dust with more flour.) Baste the top of the dough with ghee and fold into a triangle, square, or circle, as per the directions, Shaping Paranthas: To Make a Layered Triangle (see INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES).6. Place the rolled parantha on the hot tava or griddle. Turn over when it is slightly cooked and dotted with tiny golden spots on the bottom, about 1 minute. When the other side is covered with larger brown dots, turn it over, and brush lightly with oil. Flip it over again and fry the oiled side about 30 seconds. Similarly, baste and fry the other side another 30 seconds. There should be a total of 4 turns.7. Remove from the griddle and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

GRIDDLE-FRIED LEAVENED BREADS

Steps:

• 1. In a small bowl, mix the yeast and sugar in the water and set aside until frothy, 5 to 7 minutes.2. Place the flour, salt, and black pepper in a food processor and process until mixed. With the motor running, slowly add the yeast mixture, then the yogurt, through the feeder tube until the flour gathers into a ball and the sides of the work bowl look clean, about 1 minute. (If the dough seems too sticky, add some more dry flour through the feeder tube.) Transfer to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap or the lid of the bowl, and place in a warm draft-free spot until it doubles in volume, at least 4 and up to 12 hours.3. With lightly oiled hands, divide the dough equally into 8 to 10 balls and cover with foil to prevent drying. 4. Preheat a tava or griddle over medium-high heat until a sprinkling of flour immediately turns dark brown. Wipe off the flour and proceed. While the tava is heating, working with each ball separately, press into a flat disc in a bowl or pie tin with dry flour, and coat completely with flour. With a rolling pin, on a cutting board or any clean flat work surface, roll each disc into 6- to 7 -inch circles.5. Place the discs on the hot tava or griddle. Turn over when it is slightly cooked and dotted with tiny golden spots on the bottom, about 1 minute. When the other side is covered with larger brown dots, turn it over, and brush lightly with oil. Flip it over again and fry the oiled side about 30 seconds. Similarly, baste and fry the other side another 30 seconds. There should be a total of 4 turns.6. Remove from the griddle and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.