Brun: Kadak Pav

These golden brown beauties bring back lot of memories of my childhood. 

When we were in school, my sister and I used to carpool to school with group of other friends. 8:30 a.m. we would wait at a particular spot. That spot coincidentally was outside a little pav shop/ a small shop that would mainly sell varieties of bread. Occasionally, mummy would give us cash to buy maska pav for our recess snack. It was great to see soft pav being stil open and lathered with amul butter. It was then packed in a newspaper for my sister and myself to take to school. Those were amazing school days! Next to soft bun pavs wes a stack of these beautiful dark colored pav breads. I wasn't sure of the taste, but they just were very appealing. So one day. instead of buying bun maska for recess snack, I bought these golden brown pav. And only during recess, I realized that these were kadak pav... yes for a school going child, these were kadak. Kadak means hard...they were hard from outside and soft from inside. Nice, chewy, and delicious to taste :)

Check out my post on Bun Maska.

I had totally forgotten about them until our Irani/Parsi friends reminded me of it. I have made my pav for bhaji for my friends and tasting my regular soft pav, my friends demanded for brun... kadak pav came back to my life after so many years, and that is when I realized i have had brun in my childhood. I had made crisp bread before and I applied my knowledge of baking here to make brun bread. 

So while our Irani/Parsi friends were here last weekend, We had freshly baked Brun pav, maskao, and choi (chai) with our never ending GupShup :) Love you guys for so much fun we have together!

So what is BRUN? Brun means browing... brun pav are dark brown, hard, and crisp bread that are the delicacy of Irani bakeries in Mumbai and Pune. There are very few Irani Bakeries, but we still visit them for the pav, mawa cake, khari biscuit, and other freshly baked products. If you are not able to visit an Irani cafe soon, try making some brun at home... they are super easy to make and bake. They could be round or big and oval in shape. Our friends said these small round ones are mostly from Mumbai called Goti Brun. :) Below are some of the photos of Irani cafe, Yazdani and Merwan in Mumbai where I had visited.

Ingredients (makes 15 brun pav)

1+1/4 cup warm wtaer

1+1/2 tbsp. sugar

3 cups all purpose flour

1 packet yeast (active dry or rapid rise)

1+1/4 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. butter

• In a large bowl add yeast and sugar. Add warm water (heat water in microwave for 30 seconds) to yeast and mix well. Let the mixture rest for 5 mins. 
• Add flour, salt, and softened butter to yeast mixture.
• Using a wooden spoon or a spatula mix and bring all ingredients together.
• Use your palm and fist to knead the dough for 4-5 minutes to make a soft dough.
• Cover and keep it aside in a warm place for 1 hour. The dough will double in size.
• Take a baking pan (11inches X 18 Inches). grease it well and also sprinkle dry flour. Thin layer of dry flour with stick well on greased pan.
• Knead the dough again for 4-5 mins. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces and arrange in a pan. Cover the pan again and keep in a warn place for 1 to 1+1/2 hour for the dough to rise again.
• Preheat convection oven to 400 F. Place a big pan on the bottom of the rack. the pan is the one that will contain water later and provide steam for the brun to be hard and crisp after baking. 
• When preheated, place pav tray in the middle rack. Add 4 cups of hot water into the bottom large pan.
• Close the oven immediately and let the brun pav bake for 30 minutes or till they turn into beautiful brown color.
• Remove pav and place the tray on a a wire mesh. 
• Remove pav on wire mesh to avoid getting moist with the steam.
• Serve with butter and enjoy with chai!

 Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

In a large bowl add yeast and sugar. Add warm water (heat water in microwave for 30 seconds) to yeast and mix well. Let the mixture rest for 5 mins. 

Add flour, salt, and softened butter to yeast mixture.

This spatula is a gift from my sister... she always brings me cute and thoughtful things :)

Using a wooden spoon or a spatula mix and bring all ingredients together.

Use your palm and fist to knead the dough for 4-5 minutes to make a soft dough.

Knead the dough again for 4-5 mins. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces and arrange in a pan. 

Cover the pan again and keep in a warn place for 1 to 1+1/2 hour for the dough to rise again.

Preheat convection oven to 400 F. Place a big pan on the bottom of the rack. the pan is the one that will contain water later and provide steam for the brun to be hard and crisp after baking. 

When preheated, place pav tray in the middle rack. Add 4 cups of hot water into the bottom large pan.

Close the oven immediately and let the brun pav bake for 30 minutes or till they turn into beautiful brown color.

Remove pav and place the tray on a a wire mesh.

Remove pav on wire mesh to avoid getting moist with the steam.

Serve with chai and butter.

Enjoy with Chai!!

Whole Wheat Stuffed Kulche

What is the difference between Aloo Kulcha and Aloo Paratha? Kulcha is roasted on a griddle or baked in a hot oven or tandoor unlike paratha which is pan fried in ghee or oil. Although we love aloo parathas with chilled yogurt, my husband enjoys hot baked kulcha with chole too. When the recipe to make is easy and fuss-free, making delicious food at home is fun and healthy.

Three years back I published a post on my experience and recipe on Amritsari Kulcha which was loved by lot of people. I had experienced an overwhelming response on the recipe and comments and kulcha pictures filled my Facebook page. Thank you all for your likes, pictures, and pinning the recipe on Pinterest. It was my attempt to create tandoori kulcha in my convection oven, and I feel happy to have succeeded in my experiment. :)

I know many of you have written to me and asked me if you could use whole wheat flour in kulcha instead of all-purpose flour. I would say yes, totally, and here are the pictures.

Check out my recipe of Amritsari Kulche 

I used the same recipe substituting all purpose flour for organic whole-wheat flour.

Ingredients:
To make 6 Kulchas:
2 cups organic whole wheat flour (I use 24 Mantra organic flour)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ghee
1/2 cup plain yogurt/ dahi

For the filling
2 large potatoes (boiled)
salt to taste
lime juice
Chopped green chilies (to your spice level)
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. grated ginger 

To garnish kulcha
2 tbsp. coarsely ground coriander seeds
Chopped cilantro
Red chilli powder

• Mix 2 cups flour with 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. ghee and 1/2 cup plain yogurt/ dahi. Use some water (if needed) to make a soft dough. (You could substitute wheat flour for all purpose flour too.) 
• Remove the dough on a clean, flat surface. Knead the dough well. If the dough feel sticky, do not worry. As you work the dough, it tends to get less sticky. You could also divide the dough into 2 parts and knead each part separately. Make a soft ball of a well kneaded dough and set it aside covered for 20-25 minutes.  
• Boil 2 large potatoes. Cool and peel them. Add 1 tsp. salt, lime juice, chopped green chillies (to taste), 1 tsp. garam masala powder, and 1 tsp. grated ginger. Mix well and keep the filling aside 
• Divide your well rested kulcha dough into 6 equal parts.
• Grease the dough with some ghee or oil and flatten it. You could use a rolling pin to roll the dough to 3-4 inch diameter.
• Place 1 part of potato filling on the dough. Bring the sides together. Press them well to fuse it well. Make a smooth ball. Use your fingers to flatten it gently. You could also use a rolling pin the roll the stuffed dough. Roll the dough to form a even 6-7 inch flat bread/kulcha.  
• Sprinkle some ground coriander seeds and press them in well. Sprinkle some cilantro and chilli powder too.
• Preheat the oven to 500F temperature or the highest temperature on your convection oven. I also like to use baking stone/pizza stone to bake them evenly. You could use regular baking sheet too. Always preheat baking stone for 15 minutes.
• Gently place each kulcha on the hot baking stone. Bake kulchas for 5-6 minutes (or till they turn golden brown) on 500F temperature. The key is to create Tandoor like temperature and to cook them on high heat. This will make the kulchas cook evenly but yet remain soft. Slow baking will make the kulchas hard and crisp.
• Remove when done and apply some butter or ghee. 
• Serve with sliced onions and hot, spicy Chole or your favorite curry or just chilled yogurt.

 Here are few pictures of Whole wheat Kulchas.

Check out my Chole recipe

Enjoy Whole Wheat Healthy Kulche!

Pull-Apart Masala Bread

Pull apart bread is everywhere on Facebook videos. Pull apart cheesy garlic bread is something that I had seen and found very interesting. This recipe is definitely inspired from those videos. You all know I enjoy baking, and baking crusty bread is super fun and easy. Incorporating my love for Mumbai street food in the recipe, I tried my hands on Pull-Apart Masala Pav. 

Masala Pav, makes me nostalgic... an oversized cast iron griddle to cook veggies and super soft pav bread lathered with butter is stuffed with veggies and spices. Masala Pav is a perfect food that is delicious and filling specially for Mumbai commuters and young college students.

My husband has been following and watching cricket matches on TV, and I thought this is an amazing game recipe (appetizer or dinner) where we just sit back and enjoy Virat Kohli's new captainship in the cricket match. :) You can make this while you watch your favorite game or a movie.

Recipe for Crusty Bread (Click here to check my recipe from before)

Ingredients

1+1/4 cup water

2 tbsp. sugar
1 pack yeast
3 cups all purpose flour/maida
Extra flour for kneading the dough
1 tsp. Salt

• Start with 1 1/4 cup warm water (100F) in a large bowl. Add 1 packet Yeast, (2 1/4 tsp.) and 2 tbsp. sugar. Mix and let the mixture rest for 5 minutes.
• 1 tsp. salt and 3 cups all-purpose flour.
• Mix together to make a sticky dough.
• Lightly dust your clean counter. Empty the dough and knead it for 8-10 minutes. This is the most important stage to develop gluten, and make the dough elastic. It is okay to use around 1/4 cup flour while kneading (if needed).
• Keep the dough in a greased large bowl. Cover and let it rest for an hour.
• Knead the dough again for 7-8 minutes.
• Make a dough ball and leave it aside. You could use a baking tray or a pizza stone to bake the bread. If using baking tray, grease and dust the tray and place the log of dough in it. Dust it well on the top. Cover with a dry napkin or cloth and let it rise for 45 minutes. If baking on a pizza stone, preheat the pizza stone too.I used cast iron skillet to bake crusty bread. So I left the dough ball in it to proof.
• Place a big metal pan in the oven under the baking pan. 
• Preheat oven to 450F
• Place the cast iron skillet in the oven.
• Pour 4 cups of hot water into the metal pan that was placed under the baking shelf. be careful as the metal pan is hot and might create bubbling and steam. 
• Immediately close the oven door.
• Bake the bread for 40 to  50 minutes or till you get a beautiful even color and crust. Baking time may vary depending on the amount of dough and shape of the bread.
• Remove bread on a wire rack and let it cool.

To make Masala stuffing: Check my Masala Pav Recipe

2 Tbsp. butter

1 cup chopped onions

1 cup chopped bell pepper

1 cup green peas

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. pav bhaji masala

2 tbsp. lime/lemon juice

Grated cheese of your choice

To garnish:

2-3 tbsp. chopped onions

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

• Heat butter in a pan.
• Saute onions till soft. Add bell pepper and green peas and saute for 3-4 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes and minced garlic.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes.
• Add salt and pav bhaji masala. Mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and add lime juice. Let the veggie mixture cool.

To assemble pull -apart bread:

• Make horizontal and vertical cuts into the bread leaving the base intact.
• Stuff the cuts (in between the squares) with veggie mixture and grated cheese.
• Add grated cheese on the top of the bread loaf too.
• Bake in 350F preheated over for 15 minutes.
• As it comes out of the oven, garnish with chopped onions and cilantro.
• Serve and enjoy this pull-apart bread!

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Make the bread dough and leave it in a greased pan for an hour to proof.

A well risen bread dough.

Baked bread dough. Beautiful color and crusty texture.
Let the bread cool well.

Heat butter in a pan.
Saute onions till soft. Add bell pepper and green peas and saute for 3-4 minutes.
Add chopped tomatoes and minced garlic.
Cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add salt and pav bhaji masala. Mix well. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add lime juice. Let the veggie masala cool.

Make horizontal and vertical cuts into the bread leaving the base intact.

Stuff the cuts (in between the squares) with veggie masala and grated cheese.

Add grated cheese on the top of the bread loaf too.

Bake in 350F preheated over for 15 minutes.

As it comes out of the oven, garnish with chopped onions and cilantro.

Serve and enjoy this pull-apart bread!

Enjoy the Game!!!