We love bread in our house, especially one that is soft and flavorful. This Iyengar bakery style bread fits the bill perfectly. If you are wondering what Iyengar bakery is - it is a popular franchise of bakeries in South India. They typically sell only vegetarian baked goodies and were quite popular while I was growing up. Khara buns or bread were one of my favorite things to order from the bakery. ‘Khara’ means hot or spicy, so this bread is packed with a punch. But feel free to make it as spicy as you want. I keep it on the mild side because of the kids.
Ingredients needed
You will the basic ingredients to make any bread:
flour - I use a combination of all-purpose and whole-wheat flours. You can use just all-purpose or add some spelt or buckwheat or teff to add some fiber and nutrition. I recommend not more than 1 cup of above mentioned flours.instant yeast (aka rapid-rise, fast-acting) - if you are using active dry yeast, then use 2.5 teaspoons in the recipe.sugar and salt. milk - I make this recipe vegan and use non-dairy milk (almond or oat). But you can use regular dairy milk as well. water
To get the characteristic flavor in this khara bread, a spicy cooked onion mixture is added to the dough. You need the below ingredients to make that:
onions - any colored onions will work. Feel free to use chopped scallions too.cumin seedsherbs - fresh cilantro and mint. Traditionally these 2 herbs are used, but feel free to use other herbs like parsley or dill. fresh green chilies - these add heat and spiciness to the bread. Substitute it with crushed red pepper flakes.
Instructions
Start the recipe by making the spicy onion mixture.
Heat oil in a skillet, add the cumin seeds and cook for 30 seconds. Next add the onions and cook till they turn translucent,.Add the chopped chilies or crushed red pepper flakes, herbs and salt. Cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool slightly.
Next make the dough:
In a large bowl or the bowl of the stand mixer, combine flour (s), instant yeast, salt and sugar. Add lukewarm water, milk and the onion-herb mixture. Mix and knead until a smooth, soft and satiny dough is formed, about 8 minutes on the machine, 10~12 minutes by hand.Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour or until doubled in volume.
Form the loaf and second rise:
Remove the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently deflate the dough and flatten it into a rectangle. Roll into a tight log and pinch the edges.Place the log into a lightly greased 9"x5" baking pan and flatten slightly to fill the pan. Cover with a lightly greased plastic wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour or until the dough crests 1" over the rim of the pan.
Bake:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.Brush the top of the dough with almond or oat milk and bake for 35~40 minutes or until the bread is golden brown on top and sounds hollow when tapped.Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes.Then invert it over a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.
Taste Test
The bread is soft with a beautiful crumb. We enjoyed the bread just as is for an afternoon tea snack and with a pat of butter for breakfast. Bread is great to make a grilled cheese sandwich. My kids loved it. Bread can be stored for up to 3 days at room temperature. Slice the completely cooled bread, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in a ziploc bag. For longer storage (up to 1 month), store the well wrapped bread in the freezer.
How to make Khara Buns?
The same dough can be used to make Khara buns or rolls. After the first rise, gently deflate the dough and divide into 12~16 equal size pieces. Follow the instructions from this spinach sandwich rolls recipe on how to shape the buns. Bake for 17~20 minutes or until the tops are golden and feel firm to touch. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Tips & Substitution Ideas
Feel free to use up to 1 cup of whole grain flours like spelt, buckwheat or teff instead of whole wheat flour.You can substitute instant yeast with active dry yeast - simply use 2.5 teaspoons of it in the recipe. Use other herbs like parsley or dill instead.Substitute fresh green chopped green chilies with crushed red pepper flakes.
Few more interesting baking recipes
Yemeni Kubaneh - one of the prettiest breads that you can make.Pletzel - flatbread that is topped with caramelized onions.Apricot Sweet rolls - soft and sweet rolls filled with apricot jam.
