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Indian Breads Class on eGCI

Monica Bhide

By Monica Bhide
in India: Cooking & Baking

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tejon

tejon

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I'll second the request for dosas - I have found few recipes, but would really like to make them at home.

Kathy

Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all. - Harriet Van Horne

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Vikram

Vikram

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As always, I'm a fervent advocate of south Indian breads. Its not just because they are lesser known compared to the north Indian ones, as because some of them are really outstandingly delicious.

So apart from the dosas, iddlies, appams that most people are familiar with, why not go for flaky Kerala parottas, or ultra-delicate pathiri, or spongy starfish shaped ney-patal, or light steamed neer dosas, or thick and hearty adais, or thick tasty puri-like Konkani vades, or healthy mung-dal pancakes (pudla), or hard crisp thalipith which a food writer friend from the Asian Wall Street Journal dubbed one of the best new things he'd eaten in Asia?

Some of these, I think, like pathiri and parottas are really quite difficult to make since a lot of the secret is in the technique which only comes with practice. But others like pudlas and thalipith and adais should be easier,

Vikram

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Suvir Saran

Suvir Saran

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As always, I'm a fervent advocate of south Indian breads. Its not just because they are lesser known compared to the north Indian ones, as because some of them are really outstandingly delicious.

So apart from the dosas, iddlies, appams that most people are familiar with, why not go for flaky Kerala parottas, or ultra-delicate pathiri, or spongy starfish shaped ney-patal, or light steamed neer dosas, or thick and hearty adais, or thick tasty puri-like Konkani vades, or healthy mung-dal pancakes (pudla), or hard crisp thalipith which a food writer friend from the Asian Wall Street Journal dubbed one of the best new things he'd eaten in Asia?

Some of these, I think, like pathiri and parottas are really quite difficult to make since a lot of the secret is in the technique which only comes with practice. But others like pudlas and thalipith and adais should be easier,

Vikram

Great suggestions Vikram. I guess it would be a great way for eGullet to show it really can make a difference in the world of cooking classes. Whilst these breads are not difficult to prepare, they do take practice and I can well imagine the teaming of Monica and Bhasin, with the trained eye of a photographer to find it easy in sharing the process of exploring these lesser known breads easily and successfully.

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Suvir Saran

Suvir Saran

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I'd like to see ones that can actually be done well by home cooks, without needing extra equipment - e.g ones that can be cooked on a griddle, rather than in a tandoori oven.

Good call. The breads Vikram suggests, can be made at home.

And without much need for specialized equipment.

Parathas, chapatis, rotis, pooris, bhaturas, cheelas, dosas, uthappams, adai etc can all be made at home and with great ease.

In fact, it would do some restaurant chefs well to get trained in preparing home style breads, and especially the unknown Southern Indian ones. They are really wonderful breads that are yet largely unknown outside of Southern India... or Southern Indian homes around India. If each chef in a restaurant can master one such bread each year, they would hardly need to worry about fusing any foreign elements into their repertoire. These breads alone could open up their culinary horizons onto something wonderfully different without great ceremony or fuss.

I am looking forward to learning in this class. I am delighted that Vikram thought of these breads. We can all now learn about them in greater detail through EGCI.

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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After reading this discussion, I am going back to a thought I had of doing a two part series of this class -- North Indian Breads and South Indian Breads...

Vikram -- some of the south Indian ones, as you clearly indicate, might be harder for the home cook. Although i would really like to do one on appams.

Okay -- back to the drawing board. Please keep these suggestions coming. they are very helpful

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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Suvir Saran

Suvir Saran

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After reading this discussion, I am going back to a thought I had of doing a two part series of this class -- North Indian Breads and South Indian Breads...

Vikram -- some of the south Indian ones, as you clearly indicate, might be harder for the home cook. Although i would really like to do one on appams.

Okay -- back to the drawing board. Please keep these suggestions coming. they are very helpful

Monica, that sounds wonderful.

I would not worry about the hard factor of what you want to teach. Teach us.. .and with BBhasin and you together, I am sure we will get all the technical details and all the technique factors well explained and that is what makes bread making become an easy task.

It would be wonderful if you could share with us here breads such as the ones Vikram suggests. How wonderful to have EGCI be one of the first places on the internet exploring these breads.

As you head back to the drawing board, do consider revising the plan some.... what is detailed in technique, is not always hard. I am sure you can demystify whatever makes these breads hard. Give us and those breads a chance. Please. Appams are the easier one.... and many can make them without having to take a class.. lets learn about the flaky Kerala parottas, the ultra-delicate pathiris, the starfish shaped ney-patal, the steamed neer dosas, the thick and hearty adais, Konkani vades, or healthy mung-dal pancakes (pudla), and the hard crisp thalipith. This would be most amazing and will give EGCI a great edge over any other such teaching program. To my knowledge, there have not been many courses offered on these breads.

Thanks for making the effort to share the technique behind these breads. I thank you in anticipation of learning from the two of you everything there is to know about making these home style breads at home and without much drama. :smile:

I have emailed some students of mine to come become members and join in this class. The prospect of having you all teach us about these lesser known breads, will only make those already familiar with so many of the more commonly known breads find eGullet even more of a wonderful discovery.

The two part series is a perfect way of handling this. You could even do one on the familiar easier breads. And the other could be on the lesser know breads.

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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Suvir - thanks for the note. Bhasin and I will be doing the North Indian breads. I am going to try to work with a very talented Chef from Kerala to do the SOuth Indian breads. Ofcourse with all your talent, you could easily teach any of these with much ease

Edited by Monica Bhide (log)

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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Suvir Saran

Suvir Saran

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Suvir - thanks for the note. Bhasin and I will be doing the North Indian breads. I am going to work with a very talented Chef from Kerala to do the SOuth Indian breads. Ofcourse with all your talent, you could easily teach any of these with much ease

Monica, I am a student for this one.

And I am a student even as I teach.

One learns daily. From diners at the restaurant and from published authors such as yourself.

Talent really comes in being open to learning and I would certainly gain far more than I would in teaching myself.

Hence my greed for learning from you and this very talented chef from Kerala.

I am sure together the three of you will make these classes very memorable and my talents will pale in comparison. Though comparisons are not necessary.

Also, even as a mere member, I wish eGullet well, and hence would want a class on eGullet to be more than just a thread to be documented. Vikrams suggestions will make the class you teach with these very talented two people, become quickly something unique and wonderful. Dosai, Appams, Utthapams, Nans, Parathas, Pooris and Rotis are all familiar and relatively easy for they are so mainstream.

I would rather showcase EGCI and eGullet by highlighting the novelty of a class such as the one on the hard to find Southern Indian breads.

I am sure with your own talents, and that of your two very talented mates, you will not be short of whatever it takes to demystify what you think is hard.

And certainly, with encouraging words from you and those I meet, even as I learn each day, I do my bit of sharing. Through food cooked and served at the restaurant and classes I teach.

I never had talent for making these breads, I had great teachers. Not unlike yourself. They taught me by unfurling the intricacies involved (which in the case of these bread classes, should be largely easy, for you can do so with cameras and video if you so plan) and encouraged me to practice and not get upset by my failures. I travel a lot around India and mostly to work with mothers, in kitchens where they make dishes one would hardly every find in restaurants. The generosity of these women, keeps the likes of me learning forever and realizing how little we really know. It is these mothers I learn from that I consider talented and smart. I only learn from them, and hope someday I will find myself doing the same.

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deliad

deliad

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Dear Friends,

Hello,

Have been reading eGullet for a few days and find it very interesting. This is my first post. I dont know if anyone has heard about this or not. It is called "Doli ki Roti". It is a deep fried thick bread made from a very fermented dough. Usually it is stuffed with chana dal, onions, paneer etc, but one can make it plain also. Best done during the summer time as fermentation is good.

It is a considered to be a unique and classic bread from Multan region (now in Pak). My parents hailed form there and back in Delhi where I grew up, we used to go to a place called Multani Dhanda, near Pahar Gunj and get the starter dough and then used to make that bread that same day.

It is to die for...

May be you would like to include that in the class.

Also, how are the classes conducted??

regards,

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Suvir Saran

Suvir Saran

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Welcome to eGullet. Great to have you post here and share this bread with us.

Do you have a recipe? Are you based in India or elsewhere?

I had grand-aunts that hailed from Multan and some cousins too. And yes it is most tasty... never made it or even saw it being made. :sad:

Would love to know more about it. I have had it with chana dal.

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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Dear Friends,

Hello,

Have been reading eGullet for a few days and find it very interesting. This is my first post. I dont know if anyone has heard about this or not. It is called "Doli ki Roti". It is a deep fried thick bread made from a very fermented dough. Usually it is stuffed with chana dal, onions, paneer etc, but one can make it plain also. Best done during the summer time as fermentation is good.

It is a considered to be a unique and classic bread from Multan region (now in Pak). My parents hailed form there and back in Delhi where I grew up, we used to go to a place called Multani Dhanda, near Pahar Gunj and get the starter dough and then used to make that bread that same day.

It is to die for...

May be you would like to include that in the class.

Also, how are the classes conducted??

regards,

Both sides of my parents families are from Multan and they still make the best Doli Ki Roti ever. Multani Dhanda is still a very interesting place. We used to frequent it for moong dal chawal with the Khatta masala. What sweet memories!

Nice of you to post. Welcome to eGullet. If you have a recipe, do post it here. Also tell us a bit about yourself -- it is always fascinating to read about eGulleeters

To see how the classes are being held -- go to this thread here: eGCI

We are beginning the Indian classes next week with a very simple menu for Diwali, sort of Indian food 101 recipes if you will.

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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deliad

deliad

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I am based in Herndon, VA and regarding the recipe... I'll have to check on that. I am sure that my wife has it somewhere. We actually made it last year. Created the starter material from scratch. My mother was visiting and she said that it tastes the same (seal of approval)

I think we have one ball of dough still in the freezer and we are gonna try to create more dough one of these days. Will let you know when I do that.

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Monica Bhide

Monica Bhide

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I am based in Herndon, VA and regarding the recipe... I'll have to check on that. I am sure that my wife has it somewhere. We actually made it last year. Created the starter material from scratch. My mother was visiting and she said that it tastes the same (seal of approval)

I think we have one ball of dough still in the freezer and we are gonna try to create more dough one of these days. Will let you know when I do that.

Well in that case we are neighbours! Welcome and do take some pics when you prepare this -- would love to see it being made -- ofcourse would love even more to taste it :wink:

Monica Bhide

A Life of Spice

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megaira

megaira

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Monica, thank you for doing a class on this!

The Doli ki Roti deliad (welcome to egullet :smile: ) describes sounds wonderful.

I'd say I'm looking for any instruction/tips I can get for naan, but, as someone mentioned earlier, perhaps emphasis on breads that can be made without a tandoori? I can beg for naan tips another day - I'm content for it to be a challenge that keeps me busy for a long time anyway. :biggrin:

I'd hoped someone would do a class on indian breads ever since the thread on them.

". . . if waters are still, then they can't run at all, deep or shallow."

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