Brun, Broon or Kadak Pao

Coming Back to blogging is a homecoming for me. It has to be with something special for this post. I had experimented on making Brun Pao. The base is Mumbai Special Pao which is a soft bread with a fluffy center.

The recent traffic directed to this blog prompted me to share this recipe here.

Brun is a crusty round bread with a absolutely spongy center. A Brun is larger in size than the Naram Pao (soft bread that is called Mumbai pao outside Mumbai). Depending on which bakery you go to pick up this bread you will have to ask for Brun, Broon or simply Kadak pao (crusty pao). When you love your bread so much it gets all these pet names like you would call your Dad, Baba, Pops, Popsicle etc.

A Brun being a crusty bread goes well with gravies, soups and the best way to enjoy it is lathering the center with loads of maska (God only knows what it was made of in the old days!) or Amul butter.

The Brun gets its crust from the steam baking. It is this a step if missed will give you just your regular Naram pao in bigger size.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups warm water (105-115F)
1 tbsp active dry yeast (.25 oz)
1 tbsp sugar
4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp butter softened

Mix 1/2 cup water and sugar then sprinkle yeast over it. Leave it to stand for 10 mins till the mix is frothy.

Measure out the flour in a big bowl. Don't forget the salt. Mix in the frothy yeast mixture in the flour with a wooden spoon. Then mix in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of water and mix till it form a ball and leaves the sides of the bowl. Now add the soft butter and oil and knead till you get smooth dough.

Sprinkle some dough on a counter and then knead the dough on it for 2 mins. Make a smooth ball and store it in a greased bowl untill doubled, I kept it overnight to get the sour taste. Keep it covered with a wet kitchen towel. The towel should be dipped in water and wringed a bit to removed excess water.

Grease a baking tray of 8X10 inches and keep ready. Sprinkle a little bit of flour on the counter and divide the dough into 6 equal parts. Shape them into balls and line them up in the tray.

Leave the tray covered with wet cloth again to double up or for atleast an hour. Glaze with molten butter.

Now preheat oven at 190 deg cel for 10 min. Then push in the tray laden with pao into the oven. At the base of the oven put a deep tray filled with water. Bake for 25-30 mins or till you see a slight golden color. Once you get the glaze it indicates the pao is well cooked from inside. This steam baking is what gives the Brun it's crust.

Remove from the oven (Convection mode) and allow to cool on a grill or in a bread basket. Don't leave it in the tray else the pao will sweat.

Rice Vadas and some Reflections

By Mridula

Anjali and Me travel on the same bus to office for the last 2 years. In the office bus no one ever talks to anyone. Yet we became friends and slowly it developed into one so good that both of us value it a lot. I know exactly when to expect what from Anjali. She knows me well too and advices me to be positive always.

Sometimes we have breakfast together at work but when thats not always possible, I want her to taste some specialties if I'm carrying any in the box and she cringes when I try to feed her in the bus. I love to see that expression! Oh I remember those jack fruit appa had everyone sniffing in the bus.

All my friends tell me I am a mature girl but Anjali is the only one who feels I am still a kid! Yet why does she call me grandma?

Oh that reminds me, I am here to share a grandma's recipe made by my Aunt on Ugadi, it is the rice vadas.

Ingredients

2 cups rice flour
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
water to make the dough

Mix all the ingredients with enough water to make a soft dough. Keep it aside for at least 1/2 hour.

Later pinch of small balls of dough and shape in to thick vadas.

Fry in hot oil. Drain and remove into a plate.

You are invited to the feast!

Tendle Bibbe Upkari

By Mridula

Hey friends !

This blog has been quite for a while and I am simply not able to see it like that ! Anjali is enjoying other things in life and she has promised to try out her hand at classical vocal music too which is my hobby while I try my hand at blogging.

So a big HI !!!! from Mridula here in Bangalore.

I had given these pictures to Anjali for posting ages ago but she couldn't post. We both were following a difficult routine of going for classes in the early morning and workouts in the evening. I don't cook at home but she does. However recently she is on some fad diet, I hope she sustains on it. It is helping her so wish her luck all ya people.

Well I have decided to share the goodies I enjoyed at my Aunt's on the occassion of Ugadi. These are 2 recipes that are associated with Ugadi and are my family gems. So are you ready for 2 post by Mridula? While I'm sharing the recipe of this Tendle Bibbe Upkari you will have to just feast your eyes on the rest of the stuff.

Clockwise below samosas, khotte, Obattu, grilled pineapple and Kesari Bhat

Tendle = Gherkins
Bibbe = Fresh cashewnuts

Ingredients
1 kg fresh peeled cashewnuts
1 kg Gherkins/ Tondali sliced vertically
1 handful red byadgi chilies
1 handful curry leaves
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste
1/2 fresh coconut, grated for garnishing

Heat oil in a wok, splutter mustard seed, then add one by one red chilies and then curry leaves. Then add the sliced gherkins and fresh cashew nuts. Cover and cook till the gherkins and cashews are soft. Add salt mix well.

Garnish with fresh coconut.

This is a speciality from Mangalore, my native place. It can be eaten as a snack on its own or as accompaniment in a Thali. It is a seasonal dish as fresh cashew nuts are not available all the year round. These are available around Ugadi time hence associated with the festival.

Hope you enjoy this post and comeback tommorow for the second recipe.

That is me in the center with my friends

AADIRIYEDATH

I am not ashamed to beg for a cause.

At work you have been around a colleague for a while now, who is quite, intelligent, a sports person, a young achiever in the corporate world, you begin to admire. You notice this person is different in every way when you have a conversation, you start respecting.

Then you stumble on this website and unexpectedly something rings in familiarity. You are completely swept by the work people do quietly, steadily to make someones life better with utmost respect. Never once this is mentioned to anyone at work.

It is the first time ever on this blog I am appealing to people to support a charity.

AADIRIYEDATH GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS

(The name means "Respect, and we respect every one with humility, devotion and kindness")

Their Mission: "Help us to help the needy and suffering"

The Services and Activities carried out by them:

* Aishwarya School for mentally retarded, handicapped and orphan.
* Aishwarya Retreat for aged.
* Aishwarya Montessori School.

Take your time and go through the site

Home History Services Facilities Activities What you can do Photo Gallery Contacts

The membership of the Trust is open to all above 18 years of age irrespective of their caste and creed. The Membership is also open for NRI's.

There are three (3) types of members, viz.

1. Donor
2. Life, and
3. Associate


You can download the membership application form by clicking Here or using the download button here.

After downloading and filling the application form you can email it to info@aadiriyedath.in

You can also do an Electronic Fund Transfer to the Trust's Bank account. Request for the Bank account details at info@aadiriyedath.in or annaparabrahma (at) gmail.com

My plea to the readers:

If this blog has helped you in any way please go ahead and send in whatever help you can to AADIRIYEDATH GROUP OF INSTITUTIONS.

No matter how small the donation, it will bring in a positive change in someones life. So go ahead and send help to them.

Note:
Since this donation is going directly to AADIRIYEDATH let me know by leaving your name and contribution in the comments or mail:annaparabrahma (at) gmail.com. I will host the list of donors on this blog.

List of Members

Jyoti Brahme Padhye

List of Donors

Donor’s Name, Location, Amount, Date
Dr. Arya, Dubai, Rs. 2 lacs, older
R. Ramchandran, Bangalore, Rs. 2 lacs, older
Kalpana Garde, Bangalore, Rs. 5000, 10th Nov 08