Kaima Rotti - Bread Upma dressed up

About three decades ago, when my hometown was only part of the larger Salem district, my father would travel often to Salem to appear for his clients in the higher courts. There used to be a particular favourite shop from where he could purchase for us candies and dry fruits. Those days we were very fond of the coin size coconut candy wrapped in a transparent paper with Parrys written in white on it. Those and dried apricots were mostly in stock at home.
He would also visit the famous bakery there and bring large loaves of soft white bread.
Bread was not part of regular meals in a family that ate rice for every meal. We, him, three of us, his daughters and my grandmother  were all fond of bread that two large loaves can be finished quickly.  On some rare occasion all the bread is not consumed by the 'sell by' date and we have a day or two old bread threatening to go stale. My mother would quickly get into action giving it a makeover with the bread upma and save it.
Sometime ago I had purchased a good 9"X5" loaf tin and my daughter gifted me a bread baking book at the same time. I had wanted to put both to use and baked a regular white bread with a recipe in the book. It turned out well with just an ugly gash like cut in the crust. I wondered what could have gone wrong when I followed the recipe fully and even liked that I kneaded it well. I put out a query in the We Knead To Bake Group and friends had suggested possibilities. So, I baked yet another of the same with these tips, thus having on hand two loaves, which possibly between the two of us, would last longer than I might relish. My one option was to follow my mother and get the upma done.
Bread upma being somewhat staple in my home, I needed to make it more interesting. I had a good stock of my thakkali vengayam chutney in my refrigerator; that gave me the idea to make the Kaima rotti. With few ingredients and leftovers that need attention, this is a good recipe to go for it.

Kaima Rotti

Ingredients:
Serves 4
12 slices of a day or two old bread
2 tablespoons butter to pan toast the bread
2 medium red onions sliced finely
4-5 green chillis cut finely
1/2" ginger chopped
1/2 cup thakkali vengayam chutney or anything that may add flavour to the bread
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoons cooking oil
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1 teaspoon channa dhal/ Bengal gram
Few curry leaves
A little amount of water for sprinkling as required
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves for garnish

Method:
Apply butter on both sides of the bread slices. Toast them slightly until just about crisp in a pan.
Generously spread the thakkali vengayam chutney on the slices.
Cut about an inch square cubes of the bread.
Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large, heavy pan. When heated add the tempering ingredients - mustard seeds, channa dhal, ginger and green chillis. Add the salt, some more of the oil and the sliced onion. Cook until the onion is transparent.
Toss them well and then add the rest of the oil.
Reduce the heat to medium and drop the cubed bread pieces.
Cook them together tossing them well until the breads absorb the flavours. Sprinkle a teaspoon or two of water at intervals to make it moist.
Turn and toss gently so as to not break the bread or cook it to a mash.
The bread will just about get moist and combine well.

Take it off the heat and transfer to a serving dish.
Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves.
Serve warm with hot coffee.

Krendl - Russian/ Ukranian Fruit Filled Bread - We Knead to Bake -34

The year 2015 seems to have gone in a flash and soon we will be bidding goodbye and ushering a new year in. It was a year was a mixed bag for me and the family. While there were personal loses and eventful holidays, the shock of seeing nature at her worst gave me more sadness. My home state seem to have taken the wrath at its fullest. The loss of life and devastation has left many of us numb. We can only hope and pray for all those who have suffered. I hope it will not be a year that will be remembered only with these nightmarish memories.
That said, December is dotted with many happy occasions among my friends and family. Though we do not observe Christmas in its spirit, we enjoy the season that brings joy of giving. I attempt to bake, keeping up with tradition. It is not much to boast about, I must confess.
Aparna tries her best to get us, the We Knead to Bake group friends, to bake some fabulous breads to mark special festivals. This Christmas we are baking a very festive bread, the Ukranian Fruit Bread called Krendl. This bread has the texture of bread and tastes like fruit cake was the comment my husband had to suggest when tasted the same.
Aparna shares the following information on these breads:

"The Krendel is a Russian/ Ukrainian Christmas bread shaped like a large pretzel and  filled with a mixture of fresh apples and dried fruits that is lightly covered with a sugar glaze or a dusting of icing sugar. The Krendl is also served on birthdays or what were more important and called name days.

In Russian orthodox tradition, the name day is an important occasion and often celebrated instead of a birthday. The name day, considered a holy day, is the feast day of the saint after whom a person is named and it is observed with a visit to the church and ends with a celebration party. The highlight is always the serving of the pretzel shaped, fruit filled Krendl. At Christmas time the Krendl celebrates the birth of Jesus.

Krendel is thought to be of German origin and the name is supposedly a corruption of the German Kringle which is a cookie. The Krendl, like a lot of European celebratory yeasted breads is made from enriched dough. The filling is typically fresh apples and dried fruit like apricots and prunes cooked to a jam like consistency with some spice."

The following recipe uses figs, prunes and apricots along with apples. I had not found dried figs this season though I always have found them in the dry fruits aisle in my local store. I had cranberries from a friend and hence used them, just as Aparna had done.
The list of ingredients, the procedure may be seemingly elaborate. But with a little planning, it can be done fairly easy. I am glad that I chose to make the glaze. The tart taste of the lemon rind adds more flavour. 

Krendel (Russian/ Ukrainian Fruit Filled Bread)

Adapted from http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/russian-krendl-bread

Ingredients:

Makes about 20 slices.

For the Dough:

2 teaspoon instant yeast

2 tablespoon honey

1/4 cup cream

1/2 cup lukewarm milk

50gram butter, softened

1 egg ( I have substituted with 1 tablespoon extra cream plus 1/4 cup milk)

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2-3/4 to 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour

For the Filling:

1 cup apple juice

2 large apples, peeled and chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped dried figs (optional) ( I added dried cranberries)

1/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots

2/3 cup chopped prunes

15 gram (1tbsp) butter

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon chai masala (optional)

For Spreading Over the Dough:

25gram butter, soft at room temperature

1 1/2 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon powdered cinnamon

For the Glaze*:

8 gram (1/2 tbsp) butter

1/2 tablespoon hot water

3/4 to 1 cup icing sugar

1/4 tsp finely grated lemon rind/ peel

*If you are not interested in the glaze, you might just dust the top of the bread with icing sugar

1/4 cup sliced almonds for garnishing

Method: 

In a small bowl mix honey lukewarm milk and the instant yeast. Allow the yeast to proof.
In a large bowl or in that of your processor, place softened butter, vanilla, eggs or the substitutes, cream, salt, the yeast mixture and 1-1/2 cups of flour. Whisk until they combine well. Add the rest of the flour (of the 2-3/4 cups) and knead to a smooth soft yet sticky dough. Add just as much flour required to obtain a smooth, elastic dough which is a bit sticky.
Turn it on to a dusted work surface and knead for a further 6 to 8 minutes until the dough is soft, smooth and elastic. Roll it in a ball and place it in a slightly oil smeared bowl, turning the dough to coat with oil. Cover and let the dough rise and double in volume. This may take an hour and a half to some more minutes.
Meanwhile prepare the filling.
In a wide sauce pan, add all the ingredients except the chai masala. Heat them to a boil and cook on reduced heat until they come to a jam consistency. Add the chai masala, mix and turn off the heat. Allow this filling to cool completely.

Take the risen dough, deflate gently. Roll the dough in a rough large rectangle.
Spread the softened butter on the surface leaving about an inch along the edges of all the sides.

Mix sugar and cinnamon powder and smear well over the butter spread dough.

Spread the cooled filling over this.
Roll the dough in a Swiss roll like roll from the long side of the rectangle. Pinch the seam to seal well and the sides as well.
Shape the rolled dough in a large pretzel shape.
Place it on a greased baking sheet/ tray.
Loosely cover and leave it to puff up well for 30 minutes to 45 minutes.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes on a pre heated 180 degrees C/350 degrees F oven until golden on top.

To prepare the glaze, mix the ingredients and whisk in a lump free solution. Add little more hot water as necessary. Pour over the bread, garnish with toasted sliced almonds and allow it to cool.

Cut in desired slices and enjoy.

We are all posting this bread at earlier dates than our usual the 24th of the month for our readers who want to try and enjoy.
Please check Aparna's post here to see what other members ave shared.

Spiced Pumpkin Bread Rolls for Thanksgiving - We Knead to Bake 33

I have not been writing or doing any blog reading during the past month. There were other commitments outside of this small space that kept me away. I hope to get over being irregular and get back to blog more regularly. I fall into the trap of my own laziness and keep going off. Call it, if you may, a writer's block or by any other, I sit keeping the page open and stare at the blank template, not knowing where to begin. I hope this post will be a start of getting back to routine, even if only slowly.
One of the members of the We Knead to Bake group, Ms. Mayuri Patel found this interesting bread and highlighted a link on our group. By then Aparna had chosen this bread for thanks giving season and hence we shall bake it this November.
These spiced rolls are not only shaped as tiny pumpkins but also have the real vegetable added to the recipe. These are slightly sweet, very soft and are very easy to make. They look gorgeous in the bread basket during this festive season.
I made the pumpkin puree at home. you might use store available ready made puree too. I shall add the recipe for making the puree also.
I share here the recipe as given by Aparna for both the rolls and the puree. There are other recipes found to make the puree, but I found following Aparna's recipe easier. I have as is usual with me, baked with reduced proportions to get five rolls in all. This following recipe, however, makes 8 to 10 small size rolls.

Spiced Pumpkin Rolls for Thanksgiving

(Adapted from Beyond Kimchee - http://www.beyondkimchee.com/pumpkin-dinner-rolls/ )

Ingredients:
Makes 8 - 10 small rolls 
1/3 cup warm milk
2 tablespoons honey (or 1/4 -1/3 cup sugar if you like sweeter rolls)
2 teaspoon instant yeast
1/2 cup unsweetened pumpkin puree
40 grams butter melted
1 egg (I left the egg out, did not substitute also)
1 teaspoon salt
21/2 to 23/4 cups all purpose flour
1/ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon powdered dry ginger
1/2 teaspoon all spice
5-6 pecans cut in 3 vertical portions (or any that will pass of as a stem; I used dates seeds)
Glaze with melted butter or honey mixed with warm water.

Method:
To make pumpkin puree:
Remove the peel of pumpkin, cut and remove the core with seeds and membrane.
Cut small pieces and cook them until soft.

Cool and blend in a puree in a blender.
This can be used in a variety of dishes.
Store in a clean container in the refrigerator until you want to use.

For the bread rolls:
Place warm milk, honey and yeast in a bowl. Allow the yeast to proof. This step is not a must for instant yeast. but it will help to see if the yeast is active.
You may knead the dough by hand or use a processor.
Place flour in a large bowl/ that of your processor.
Add salt and spice powders and mix them.
Add the yeast mixture, pumpkin puree, melted butter and egg (if you are using). Knead until a smooth and elastic dough that is somewhat sticky is achieved.
The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl.
Add little ore flour or liquid to get this consistency.
turn the dough on to a flour dusted work surface and knead for a couple more minutes, roll in a ball shape and place in an oil smeared bowl, turning the dough in oil to coat all over.
Cover and keep the dough aside for an hour to an hour and a half allowing it to double in volume.
Turn the risen dough on the work surface, gently deflate it and divide in eight or ten small portions. if you want larger rolls, divide in six. Roll each portion in a ball.

Flatten slightly and using a sharp knife make eight diagonal slits in the dough to give it a flower with open petals shape. This will make a cute pumpkin shape when the dough gets the second rise.
In the centre of the flower pattern, use the back of a wooden spoon or tip of your finger, lightly dipped in oil to avoid sticking, and make a slightly deep dent. This will hold the pecan 'stem' when baked.

Place the shaped dough on a parchment lined or lightly oiled baking tray.
Repeat this with the rest of the dough portions.
Brush with some milk.
Loosely cover and allow the rolls to puff up.
Bake in a pre-heated 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
Remove from oven and give a glaze.
Place the cut vertical pecan stem in the centre.

You may use, celery stalks, stems of small bell peppers or any of your choice.
Serve these very cute pumpkin rolls for thanksgiving.
Please head over to Aparna's post here to check other members' posts too.