Masala Bread - An Indianised bread with Fenugreek!!!

I have been haunting Revathi's place for some time now...And her bread recipes are awesome!! This one is completely inspired by her recipe...When i saw her Masala bread recipe, i was itching to make it!! Adding methi to the bread sounded soooo exciting and i am glad i did it!!

The bread was amazing!! 1st time i used half of whole wheat and half of maida but next time onwards i used wholewheat only!! and it tastes yumm!!! i also decided to add some Kasoori methi for flavor and believe me it took the bread to whole new level (higher of course :) )!!

The measurements and some of the ingredients are different coz i didn't have access to internet on the day i made it.. but hey, who is complaining?!?! It tasted amazing and i am making it again and again!! Want some?!

Mouthwatering Masala bread - ready to be devoured :)

Ingredients:

1.5 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 tablespoon yeast
1 tablspoon sugar
1 tablespoon Olive oil for bread
2 tablespoon Olive oil for masala
1 teaspoon salt for bread
1/4 teaspoon salt for masala
1/2 cup fresh methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) - cleaned and roughly chopped
1 small onion - finely cut
1 teaspoon green chili ginger paste
3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
Pinch of kasoori methi
2-3 pinches of sesame seeds
1 teaspoon of milk for brushing

Method:

1) In a kadai (wok) heat oil on medium flame. To that add Onion, green chili ginger paste and crushed garlic.

Masala in the wok - as i was feeling a little lazy, i used garlic powder in place of  fresh garlic

 2) Once the onions turn brown add kasoori methi and salt to the masala, keep stirring for a minute and then turn it off.
3) Take warm water and in that add sugar and yeast. Dissolve well. and keep in a warm place till water level rises and you are sure that yeast is active. Plz refer to my Pav recipe for more details on this.
4) Now in a big bowl, take the whole wheat flour and the masala to it. Also add the salt for bread to this.
5) Add fresh methi leaves to it and mix well.

Masala and methi added to the flour - ready to be kneaded!!

6) Using the yeast sugar water knead the dough. Add extra warm water if needed. Knead in a soft sticky elastic dough.
7) Add Olive oil for bread now.
8) If you have a food processor (or something similar) used its dough hook to give the dough some thorough thrashing. or else do it by hands.
9) Then cover it using a wet kitchen cloth (Or a cling wrap film).
10) Leave it in a warm place till the dough doubles in size (proves).
11) Once it double then knead it again thoroughly. Punch it, thrash it!!!
12) Then, take your bread pan (or any pan) grease it using oil.
13) Roll your dough into the shape of a loaf (or shape of the pan) roll it in sesame seeds and put it in the greased pan and then cover again using your wet kitchen cloth till it proves again.
14) Brush the top of the bread using some milk (or whisked eggs. but i use milk only)
14) Sprinkle some water on the loaf pan and bake in a preheated oven for 30 minutes at 180 degree C or till the top becomes brown whatever is earlier.

Baked - Can't wait to break that bread :)

15) Take it out on a wire rack and let it cool.
16) Once cooled cut it and enjoy!!

Notes:
1) As i said the measurements are not similar as Revathi's recipe. So you too don't need to be too rigid with them..Go wild is what i would suggest.
2) Now that availability of methi is a bit of problem here, i was thinking of trying mint or corriander to replace methi. And then i saw on Revathi's blog and saw that she had already implemented this idea!! So as i said go wild with your imagination and try everything that comes to your mind!!
3) I have realized that this bread tastes better next day.
4) I am thinking of adding some of the mango pickle masala to the bread next time i make it!!

Sending this to Priya's May 2013 edition of Healthy me and Healthy Us event hosted by Jayanthi

+techie ZM

Mango Pickle - Gujarati khaatu Methiyu/Methia Athanu!!!

This is the pickle that i have grown up on!!! This goes perfectly well with my comfort foods of khichdi or daal chawal!! It is called Methiyu Athanu!! It just jazzes up any dull food and i love it for that :)

We used to get 2 vacations every year - summer and Diwali. And every vacation i would go to my grandmom's place and would return just a day before of school starting!! And at my grandmom's place i was pampered silly!! My grandfather would take me to Zoo, gardens, museums, arts class and loads of other places!! He would hire a cycle for me for a day, everyday!! My grandmom used make all my favorite foods!! So most of the days there would be Bhindi, Kadhi, Keri no Ras and dhokla!! My mamas used to give me ride on their back and used buy toys and crackers for me!!! And in case my maasi (who we call Naani -coz she is younger of the sister and Naani means small in Gujarati) then i would get extra special treatment!! I told you, i was pampered silly ;)

From summer vacations, I remember the freshly made mangoe pickles and chundo/murabbo!! My grandmom and the neighbouring aunties (maami as i used to call them) used to get together to make pickle for every family!! So under my grandmom's carefully eye, there used be the Project Pickle in the society every summer :) I also remember torturing everybody withh my poor jokes and crazy riddles during those pickle making sessions!! What i don't remember is how my grandmom used to make the pickle :(

Finally when mom visited me last week, i decided to get the recipe of THE pickle...I made it in small quantity as it was the 1st time. You can increase the amount of ingredients if you wish!!! But before that have a look at it :)

The Zingy Mango Pickle!!!

Ingredients:

1 Raw mango
1/2 cup methi dana (Fenugreek seeds)
1+ 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder (you can increase/decrease if you want to - i find this optimum)
3 + 1/2 teaspoon Salt
3/4 cup Oil
1 pinch Hing (asofoetida)
1/4 teaspoon Turmeric powder

Method:

1) Grind the methi daana very coarsly in the mixer. Ensure that there are no whole seeds. Every seed should be broken.This broken methi daana is known as Methi na kuriya.
2) Now add salt, red chili poweder, hing and turmeric to the methi daana. Mix well.
3) Heat the oil in a kadai. Add the oil to the methi daana mixture. Mix well.
4) Let it cool down. Meanwhile proper wash, clean and pat dry the mango and cut it into small pieces (throw away the seed/ Gotlo/ Gutli).

Mango - About to get pickled!!

5) Now, mix the mango pieces with the prepared methi masala. Mix well.

Mango and masala mixed - all set to get pickled...

6) Keep this mixture in a glass bowl and cover. Mix it properly everyday for 3 days.
7) And on 4th day, your pickle is ready!!
8) If you want to store it for the year (which unlikely with this small amount, but still) then heat more oil and add it to the pickle. Mix well and store in a glass jar. If planning to finish off within few days, then don't add extra oil.

You can enjoy this pickle with Muthiya, Khakhara, Rice, Khichdi, dhokla, bhakhari or anything that comes to your mind!! I even add a little masala of this pickle to My Daal!!

Notes:
1) This is a bit modified recipe. Original recipe says use 5 kg mango, 500 gms methi, 1 kg salt. But that was too much for me...So i reduced the salt amount. You can go ahead and make it as per this.

Hey Priya, if it's ok, then can you used the mango wala pic for the Colour me green event?! If not then you can continue with the Karela pic :)
Linking this to Foodelicious Cook Like Mom Event...

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+techie ZM