Steamed Indian Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in cold water and vegetable oil until dough comes together into a ball.
• Set dough on a floured surface. Pinch off ten pieces the size of golf balls, roll into balls, and flatten each into a round. Make a small hole in the center of each round.
• Fill a deep skillet with oil to 3/4 inch; heat over medium-high heat. Add dough rounds in batches and fry until golden brown, about 20 seconds per side. Drain on paper towels.

Steps:

• Set up a steamer large enough to hold an 8-inch cake pan on a rack, with sufficient room above and below. (If you don't have a steamer, improvise with a soup pot.) Add water to just below rack. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a brisk simmer. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with a little oil and set aside.
• Make the dhokla: Put the ginger and chiles in a mortar with a pinch of salt and pound them to a rough paste (or just chop them very finely). Put the ginger-chile paste in a mixing bowl. Add semolina, salt, baking soda, baking powder and turmeric and mix together with wooden spoon. Add yogurt, 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 cup water, stirring vigorously, to make a smooth lump-free batter. Gradually thin with up to 1/4 cup more water, as necessary, until mixture resembles thick pancake batter.
• Beat well, then pour batter into oiled cake pan. Put pan in steamer and cover pot with a clean dish towel, then place a lid on top. Steam for 20 minutes, until a skewer, inserted, emerges dry. Carefully remove pan from steamer. Let dhokla cool in pan for a few minutes, run a knife along sides of pan, then invert bread onto a serving plate. When completely cool, cut into squares or diamonds.
• Make the tarka: Heat oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add chiles and sizzle for a minute, then add mustard seeds and cook, stirring, until they begin to pop. Add cumin seeds and curry leaves and lightly toast in oil mixture, then stir in asafetida (if using) and turn off heat. Pour contents of pan over entire surface of dhokla, spreading seeds and oil with spoon.
• To garnish, sprinkle with cilantro sprigs and freshly grated coconut. May be served warm or at room temperature. Serve with yogurt chutney for dipping.

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy skillet to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Sift flour, baking powder, powdered milk, and salt together in a large bowl. Pour water over flour mixture and stir until a sticky dough forms. Form dough into a ball using floured hands.
• Fry the dough in the hot oil until browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer fry bread to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Steps:

• 1. Mix and sift Indian meal, flour, salt and soda. Add buttermilk and mix well Stir in sweet milk and turn into a buttered mold. Steam. Requires 3 hours.