Whole Wheat Turtle Bread

Say Hello to my little 'Turtle'. 

This is a rustic bread so warm and comforting, perfect for the rainy days(Started raining here in Seattle). It was fun and playful making the turtle. The bread came out very soft, thanks to the egg which makes it light and airy. It is a great accompaniment with a hot hearty soup for lunch or as a snack with your evening cup of tea. You need your carbs for sure. The original recipe calls for no wheat flour, but i sneaked some just for my satisfaction. As usual, the kitchen is filled with a heavenly aroma from the baking of bread. There is no limit to the imagination, so have fun with the shape and here goes the recipe, 

Ingredients:

1 cup Whole Wheat Flour

1 1/2 cup  All Purpose Flour + 1/4 cup more

1 pack Active dry yeast

1 Egg

1/2 cup Water

1/3 cup Milk

1tbsp Butter

1tbsp Sugar

1tsp Salt

2 Raisins, for turtle's eyes

 How to:

• In a big bowl, add the 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, yeast, sugar and salt, mix well and keep it aside.

• In a sauce pan, add the water, milk and butter at medium-low heat and let the butter melt untouched. 

• Then stir and slowly pour it to the flour-yeast mixture, mix, followed by the egg.

• Now add the whole wheat flour and start kneading. Add the 1/4 cup all purpose flour little at a time and knead a soft and springy dough. (I kneaded for 6-8 mins.)

• Wrap loosely and let the dough rest for 10 mins.

To make the turtle:

• Wrap a aluminum foil on a cookie sheet, spray with cooking oil and keep it aside.
• Make a 2 inch smooth ball for the turtle's head.
• Make four walnut size balls for the turtle's leg.
• Make a small 1 inch log for the turtle's tail.
• Make the turtle's body with the remaining dough, by making a smooth round ball, slightly flattened and place it on the cookie sheet.
• Now attach the head, legs and tail by pinching the edge of each part with the body part of the dough.
• Press the raisins on the turtle's head for it's eyes.
• Brush the dough with olive oil to prevent it from drying. Wrap it loosely and let rest for 20-30 mins.

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Once the dough has risen, with a knife make a 1/4" circular cut around the edge of the body and make crisscross cuts to make the turtle's shell. 

• Bake for 25 mins or until golden brown.
• Let the bread cool completely on a cooling rack before storing it.

• Store in a ziploc bag tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Whole Wheat Veggie Stuffed Buns

Irresistible, enticing, yep am talking about the aroma of freshly baked bread. Everybody who recollect the smell of the bread in their kitchen, would long to feel the pleasure over and over, just like me. I, some afternoons play the dabbawala role and deliver hot lunch to my husband at his work place. Its just a couple blocks from my apartment. I know this sounds crazy. One day, on the way to his office i changed my route and happened to cross this restaurant, 'Purple cafe' where they bake breads and i get to smell the fresh scent that the wind carries and now-a-days just to experience the mesmerizing fragrance for 10 secs, i walk an extra block. 

Well, to talk about the recipe, i came across Aipi's US Masala, Whole Wheat Stuffed Buns, and i immediately bookmarked and was very sure that am gonna love it. And i did. Thanks for sharing a wonderful recipe, Aipi. I didn't make any changes except, I brushed the buns with egg wash instead of milk before baking, also didn't have sesame seeds handy, so decorated a couple buns with sunflower seeds. Here goes the recipe,

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Whole Wheat flour

1/2 cup All purpose flour (Maida)

1 1/2 cups warm Milk

1tbsp Rapid Rise Yeast

1 1/2tsp Sugar

1tsp Salt

2tbsp Oil

For Stuffing:

1/2cup Cauliflower 

1/2cup Petite Peas (frozen and thawed)

1 Carrot (grated)

2 Red Potatoes (boiled)

1/2 Green Bell Pepper (diced small)

1/2tsp Panch phoran

1tsp Coriander powder

1/2tsp Red Chilli powder

1/8tsp Turmeric powder

1/2tsp Chaat masala powder

1/4tsp Cumin powder

1/4tsp Garam masala powder

1 pinch Asafoetida

1tbsp Cilantro (chopped)

1tbsp Oil

Salt

How to:

• In a bowl, dissolve yeast and sugar in warm milk and let sit for 10 mins, until frothy.

• In another big bowl, mix together the flours and salt, then make a well at the center.
• Pour the yeast mixture and knead for 7-8 mins along with 1tbsp oil, resulting a non-sticky, smooth dough. 

• Apply the remaining oil over the dough, wrap the bowl and let rest for 1 1/2hrs in a warm place.

• Now, heat oil in a skillet, add the panch phoran , asafoetida and ginger.

Then add the cauliflower and carrot and saute for 3-4 mins. Followed by peas and bell pepper along with coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Cook for another 3-4 mins or until tender.

• Add the potatoes followed by chilli powder, cumin powder, chaat masala powder and garam masala powder, and cook with lid closed in a medium flame for a couple of mins.

• Add the chopped cilantro, switch off and let'em cool.
• Once the dough has risen, punch down to remove the air and knead for a min.

• Then transfer the dough to a flat surface and divide'em into equal lemon-size balls.
• Roll the dough flat and place the filling and bring the edges together, forming a smooth ball.

• Repeat the stuffing for the remaining dough and arrange it on a baking sheet, then, cover it with a kitchen towel and let rest for another 45 mins.

• Preheat oven at 400 degrees.
• Brush the top with beaten egg or milk and bake for 15-18 mins. 

• Remove from oven and let cool on a cooling rack and brush with butter.

Serve warm buns.

Also, i wanted to show my food-saver handheld vacuum system, that i recently bought online via slick-deals for $4.50 w/shipping. I am very happy with the product, it comes with  5 small and 5 big zipper bags, 2 deli containers and it keeps my cheese and breads fresh. 

The best part is, the bags can be washed and reused when fruits or any dry foods are stored previously. You can also buy reusable zipper bags sold separately which are dishwasher-safe and can be microwaved or boiled. Isn't that cool? Love the cute handheld system and so i thought of sharing my experience with you all.**I am not being paid in any way for the review of the product**

Savoury Crackers

I was hunting for a perfect snack just to munch around in between my diet, i found this recipe "Namakpare (A Savoury Indian Snack) – The Baked Version" and very much pleased with the word 'baked'. When i read the recipe's name, it felt kind of new, but once i gone through the recipe, i remember these little bites which my mom makes for Diwali, but its deep-fried and sweeter version. I called her immediately and said, 'ma, am going to make these little crackers today', she got all excited, you know with the diwali around the corner, she started calling me to India. After i finished convincing her, *sigh*, i began kneading the dough with my hands and i could sense the smell of ajwain seeds and can't wait to bake'em. Believe me, once i popped my little fellows inside the oven, the flavor filled my kitchen and i just stood there and watched'em turn crispy. My, my the crackers tasted so good, fresh and hot, i kept eating 3,4 at a time. I never tried deep-frying these crackers, that too with ghee or butter, but with the results, i say, i won't deep-fry. Thanks to Aparna for sharing this wonderful recipe.  Well, coming to the recipe,

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Whole Wheat flour

1/2 cup All Purpose Flour (maida)

1/4 cup Extra Virgin Coconut Oil 

1/2tsp Ajwain seeds

1/4 cup Water

Salt

How to:

• In a bowl, mix together the flours, ajwain seeds, salt and oil. 

• Then pour the water one tbsp at a time, resulting a non-sticky and stiff dough. 

• Wrap it and let rest for 30 mins.
• Divide the dough into 2 or 3 portions and roll it thin.

• With a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut the dough into desired shapes.

• Arrange it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or slightly oil-sprayed.

• Bake at 395 degrees for 15-18 mins or until evenly browned.

• Let cool on a cooling rack and store it in a air-tight container.

Serve the crackers with hot coffee or tea.

Tips:

• Make sure you keep an eye on the crackers after 15 mins of baking, as they brown faster. 
• Do not let them sit on the counter for longer time, as they might loose the crispness.
• Add sugar or honey and make your version of sweet crackers.

Bread Rolls

Ingredients:

4 cups + 2tbsp(for dusting) All Purpose Flour (Maida)

1 1/2tsp Dry Active Yeast

1 1/2tsp Sugar

1 1/2tsp Salt

2 + 1 Eggs

1 cup Milk (Warm)

4tbsp + 1tbsp( for brushing) Unsalted Butter 

How to:

• In a bowl, mix together yeast, sugar and milk. Let sit for 10 mins.

• Beat the eggs and bring the butter to room temperature.

• Now pour the eggs and butter to the yeast mixture and beat well.

• In another big bowl, add the APF, salt and make a well at the center. Then pour the egg-butter-yeast mixture and start kneading.

• Add flour if the dough is sticky. Also make sure there is no dry flour left at the sides.
• Place the dough on a flat, flour-dusted surface and start stretching and folding the dough for roughly 5-6 mins.

• Now place the dough back in the bowl, apply butter, wrap it up and let rest for 1 1/2hrs for the dough to double in size.

• Once the dough has risen, punch it with your fist to remove the air filled inside the dough.

• Re-wrap the dough and let sit for another 10 mins. Also, brush butter on the baking sheet and muffin pan, and keep aside. Beat 1 egg with 2tsp water and keep aside.
• Now, divide the dough into required sizes and start making rolls of any shape and place the rolled-shaped dough on the buttered baking sheet.

• Cover the dough with a wet cloth and let rest for 30 mins for the dough to rise again.

• Preheat the oven at 425 degrees F. 
• Then, brush the dough with beaten egg and bake for 16 mins.

• Once removed from the oven, brush butter on the hot bread rolls.

Serve warm with jam or jelly.

Tips:

• Let cool for 25-30 mins on the rack, before storing.

• Store in a zipper bag at room temperature for up to 4 days. (Remove the air inside the bag.)

Sending this dish to the event 'Dish Name Starts with: B' hosted by Akila.