Steamed Indian Bread Recipes

INDIAN SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together flour, salt and water until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Divide dough into golf ball size pieces and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap.
• Select a ball of dough and roll out until very thin but not torn. Sprinkle lightly and evenly with sugar. Fold up dough into a small square and roll out again until thin.
• Heat a lightly oiled griddle over medium heat. Place the rolled dough onto the pan and cook for 1/2 to 1 minute on each side until golden. Serve immediately. Repeat until all dough balls have been rolled and cooked.

STEAMED HAWAIIAN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Combine the coconut milk, honey, banana and extract; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Pour into a 2-cup stoneware dish or bowl coated with cooking spray; cover with foil., Place on a rack in a deep kettle; add 1 in. of hot water to kettle. Bring to a gentle boil; cover and steam for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, adding more water as needed., Remove dish from kettle; let stand for 15 minutes before removing bread from dish.

SOOJI DHOKLA (STEAMED SEMOLINA BREAD)

Steps:

• Set up a steamer large enough to hold an 8-inch cake pan on a rack, with sufficient room above and below. (If you don't have a steamer, improvise with a soup pot.) Add water to just below rack. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with a little oil and set aside.
• Make the dhokla: Put the ginger and chiles in a mortar with a pinch of salt and pound them to a rough paste (or just chop them very finely). Put the ginger-chile paste in a mixing bowl. Add semolina, salt, baking soda, baking powder and turmeric and mix together with wooden spoon. Add yogurt, 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 cup water, stirring vigorously, to make a smooth lump-free batter. Gradually thin with up to 1/4 cup more water, as necessary, until mixture resembles thick pancake batter.
• Beat well, then pour batter into oiled cake pan. Put pan in steamer and cover pot with a clean dish towel, then place a lid on top. Steam for 20 minutes, until a skewer, inserted, emerges dry. Carefully remove pan from steamer. Let dhokla cool in pan for a few minutes, run a knife along sides of pan, then invert bread onto a serving plate. When completely cool, cut into squares or diamonds.
• Make the tarka: Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add chiles and sizzle for a minute, then add mustard seeds and cook, stirring, until they begin to pop. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves and lightly toast in oil mixture, then stir in asafetida (if using) and turn off heat. Pour contents of pan over entire surface of dhokla, spreading seeds and oil with spoon.
• To garnish, sprinkle with cilantro sprigs and freshly grated coconut. May be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with yogurt chutney for dipping.

GLUTEN FREE STEAMED APRICOT BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the oats, rice flour, amaranth flour and baking soda.
• Grind the almonds to a fine powder in a blender.
• Gradually add enough water to bring the level up to 1 cup.
• With the machine running, add the molasses or honey and almond extract.
• Add the apricots and process with a few on/off turns to chop them; do not puree.
• Pour the liquid mixture into the flour bowl.
• Stir to mix.
• Turn out into an oiled 1 qt.
• mold or 1 lb can.
• Cover with a square of wax paper or foil (shiny side down); tie wax paper securely with a piece of string.
• Place the mold on a wire rack in a Dutch oven or large stockpot.
• Add enough boiling water to the pot to come halfway up the sides of the mold.
• Cover the pot tightly, and steam the bread over.
• med-low heat for 2 hours.
• Do not remove the cover during the cooking time.
• Remove the mold from the pot.
• Cool the bread in the mold for 15 min, then.
• turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• For best results, slice with a serrated knife.

CHINESE STEAMED BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast and sugar over a mixture of 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup flour and leave for around 15-30 minutes.
• Stir in the remaining water/ milk, flour, salt, sugar, pepper (if using) and oil.
• Mix everything to a dough.
• Turn it on to a floured work surface and knead it until it is smooth.
• Return it to the bowl, cover it and leave it in a warm place for 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until it has tripled in size.
• Punch down the dough with the back of your fist to flatten on a floured board.
• Sprinkle the baking powder over and knead for a few minutes.
• Shape the dough into 24 rolls.
• Keep each ball on a wax paper and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
• You can place these balls on individual pieces of wax paper so you can use these to place in the steamer too for easier handling.
• Bring water in the bottom of a steamer to a boil first.
• Then place the rolls in the steamer, leaving a 1-inch gap between them.
• Cook in batches if need be.
• Cook them for 10-15 minutes, or until they are firm and cooked through.
• Do not turn the heat off before you lift the lid of the steamer as this causes blistering on the surface of the rolls.
• Serve them hot.

STEAMED BROWN BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the flour, oats, cornmeal, baking soda and salt. Combine buttermilk and molasses; stir into dry ingredients. Pour into two greased 10-oz. ramekins or custard cups; cover with foil., Place ramekins on a rack in a deep kettle; add 1 in. of hot water to kettle. Bring to a gentle boil; cover and steam for 35-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, adding more water as needed. , Remove ramekins from kettle; let stand for 5 minutes before removing bread from ramekins.