Luchi - A fried Bengali bread

Now a food blog by a Bengali without Luchi is incomplete. These deep fried puffed little breads are weakness for all us Bengalese. A related cousin of puri, it differs from the same in only the type of flour used. While puri is made from whole-wheat flour (atta), luchi is made from refined all-purpose flour (maida). Every Sunday morning, these puffed ‘breadlets’ adorn the breakfast plates in any Bengali household hand in hand with alu-r torkari (mild potato curry) or any other side dish of choice. Sometimes it is a special treat along with the glorious kasha mangsho ( a spicy dry mutton preparation). Traditionally they are deep-fried in ghee. However, many houses these days use refined oil to fry them. As the air puffs the flat dough discs into perfect balls and an enticing smell fills the air, the simple dough transforms into its light whitish-golden avatar. Luchi has been such a part of my everyday life that I had taken it for somewhat granted. It was only when I moved away from home during my college years, looking at the luchi-less breakfast plates on Sunday mornings, that I realized how much a place it held in my food world. Making luchis on my own went through a couple of trials until I could make them all perfectly round. The right amount of oil for making the dough, the ideal temperature of the heated oil for deep-frying, the gentle pressure and whirling motion to let them puff in perfect rounds, it took some practice to master those. And therefore, when I recently took pictures of the luchis for the blog and decided to finally write down the recipe, I realized the description to be inadequate. Anf hence, there was this bit more wait until I made luchis again and requested Blaž to take a video while I fry them. Read carefully the instructions and watch the short video. Don’t be disheartened if the first try doesn’t give the perfect results, one just needs a little bit of practice to have these delicate Bengali breads on the table.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:
(Makes 10 [or 12 small])

1cup refined flour

1pinch salt

1tbsp oil

Warm water

Oil for deep-frying

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.      Put the flour in a big bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 1tbsp of oil to the flour. Rub the flour and oil between fingers to mix well and make the flour lighter and fluffier. Rub for a minute or so. This is a crucial step as over-rubbing or adding too much oil will make the luchi crispier and difficult to puff.

2.      Make a hole in middle. Slowly add warm water and knead into a smooth tight dough. Divide the dough into 10 (or 12 for smaller luchis) balls.

3.      In a small deep wok heat oil for deep-frying. The oil should be hot (not smoking) but fry the luchi on medium heat so that they do not brown too much before puffing and cooking well. (Test the oil with a tiny pinch of dough pressed flat between fingers. It should fry and float immediately but not turn brown.)

4.      Roll each dough ball into a thin circle of around 5 inch. Use a bit of oil while rolling to prevent sticking.

5.      Gently add the rolled luchi into the hot oil. With a round-slotted spoon keep the luchi under hot oil and keep on pressing gently in a whirling motion until the luchi puffs into a circle. [Check the video below.]

6.      Flip and let the other side fry for a few more seconds. This time, do not press down the luchi inside the oil but instead let it float. Each luchi will take about 20-30 seconds to fry.

7.      Repeat the steps 4-6 for the other dough balls. Roll and fry the luchis simultaneously. (Do not keep them waiting for long after rolling as it will make the rolled luchi dry.)

NOTE:

Do not make the dough long before frying the luchis. If you need to keep the dough standing, keep it covered under a moist cloth.

How to fry Luchi:

Missi roti

The flat breads from Punjab (NW India) are very popular all over India. And one such staple bread from the Punjabi kitchen is Missi roti. It is made from three kinds of flour blend, the earthy chickpea flour, the rustic atta, and the fine maida. Spiced up with chilies, spicy carom seeds, pungent asafetida, and fragrant kasoori methi leaves, the roti is simple and yet a delicate play of aromas and flavors. A dollop of fresh butter on top seals the deal.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

(Makes 6 roti)

1/2cup besan (Chickpea flour)

1/4cup atta (Coarse flour)

1/4cup maida (Plain flour)

1tbsp Kasoori methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)

2-3 finely chopped green chilies

1/4sp turmeric powder

1/2sp chat masala

1sp ghee

1 pinch salt

Warm water

Butter

Dry spices:

1/4sp ajwain (Carom seeds)

1/4sp cumin

1/2sp coriander

1ping asefoetida

METHOD:

1.      Roast the dry spices and coarsely grind them.

2.      In a large bowl, mix the flours, and all the spices with a pinch of salt. Add the ghee and rub it in the flour. Mix well.

3.      Make a whole in the middle and gradually add the warm water. Knead into a smooth tight dough. Let the dough rest for 10 minutes under a covered cloth.

4.      When rested, knead the dough again for a couple of minutes. Divide into 6 equal portions and make them into balls.

5.      Heat a griddle or tawa on medium-high heat.

6.      Roll one dough ball at a time into a roti, each flat 7-8 inch circle. Dust with more flour while rolling to prevent from sticking if necessary.

7.      Simultaneously bake each roti on the hot griddle. Bake one side for a minute. Flip over and smear the side with butter. Flip over again after a minute and smear the other side with butter. Bake both sides until rustic brown spots appear on them. Remove from the griddle and keep covered wrapped under a cloth. Bake all the rotis similarly.

8.      Serve with daal or pickles.

NOTE:

Roll and bake the rotis simultaneously, rolling them beforehand can make them dry.

To make the rotis tastier and softer, add a dollop of butter while storing them under the cloth.

Cheese snails

These cheese bread rolls are super easy to make, and oh so yummy. The soft texture of the bread and the tempting smell of molten cheese just do not allow one to stop eating them. I love the taste of sesame and the occasional salt crystals. We made a batch of them and they were finished in no time. Yum!

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

Dough:

1kg flour

84g yeast

1tbsp sugar

Salt

100ml oil

400ml milk

Filling:

400g grated cheese

2eggs

Garnish:

1 egg white

Sesame

Salt crystals

METHOD:

1.      Warm 50ml of milk with 1 spoon each of sugar and flour. When the milk is lukewarm, remove it from heat and add the yeast. Cover it and allow it to rise for 15min.

2.      Add the yeast to the dough. Add salt, oil, and lukewarm milk.

3.      Make a smooth dough. Cover and set aside in a warm place for 1hr so that it rises.

4.      Roll it into a square 1/2cm thick. (Use the dining table and one clean tablecloth dusted with flour for rolling.)

5.      Smear it with beaten egg and spread the grated cheese evenly.

6.      Tightly roll the dough. Cut it into 3cm thick wheels. Arrange them in a baking tray and gently squeeze them a bit.

7.      Let them rise again for 15mins.

8.      Smear with egg white. Sprinkle sesame seeds and little salt crystals.

9.      Bake them in preheated oven at 180°C for 15-20 mins.

Methi roti (Indian bread with methi leaves)

I did not wish to make naan, kulcha or simple roti on their own. Therefore, the result was something that was a fusion of all these in a way. The whole-wheat flour gave the identity of roti. The yeast dough and yogurt gave the dimensions of naan, kulcha. I flavored it with dried kasoori methi, one of my favorite herbs. The freshly baked rotis smeared generously with butter were just irresistible with the dal I made along with.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

(Makes 5)

1.5cup whole-wheat flour

1cup yogurt

7g instant yeast

1/2sp baking soda

2tbsp dried kasoori methi leaves

Salt, sugar

1tbsp oil

Butter

METHOD:

1.      Rub the flour with oil for some minutes to let in air and make the flour fluffier.

2.      Add the salt, sugar, yeast, baking soda, kasoori methi. Mix well.

3.      Knead dough with slightly warm yogurt.

4.      Let the dough stand in a warm place for an hour and rise (It will not rise as much as dough using refined flour).

5.      Knead again after the dough has risen.

6.      Make 5 equal balls and roll into 7inch circles.

7.      Heat a pan. Put one roti for baking. When it starts to bubble a bit, flip over and bake the other side. The roti will take around a couple of minutes to be done.

8.      Smear it with butter and keep covered under a clean kitchen cloth.

9.      Repeat the same process with the other 4.

Ocvirkovka (Potica with cracklings)

 Ocvirkovka is an old Slovenian specialty. It is a salty version of Potica (rolled dough pastry) filled with cracklings (ocvirki). Mostly made by the farmers, it is quite difficult to get in the shops. I had a bit of it during an organized walk in 2009, and after that never really could get it anywhere easily. As it is generally made in larger quantities, and because this particular version is filled with fat, we never thought of making it at home. However, a couple of months back, I was again remembering it so much, and really wished to have it. So with Blaž’s mother, we decided to make half the quantity. And wow, we just almost finished it over the dinner! It tasted great, the rich bread and the crackling fat. It is not the healthiest of foods, but as it melts in mouth, there is a burst of creamy salty enticing taste. One for sure can sometimes indulge in unhealthy food.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

(Serves 10-12 or Makes 2 loaves)

Dough:

1kg flour
700ml milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
120g butter
20-30g yeast
1sp sugar
1 sp salt

Filling:
300g cracklings
1 semi-dry sausage
400ml sour cream

METHOD:

1. Crubmle the yeast cube in a big bowl. Add 1sp sugar, salt, 2tbsp flour. Add lukewarm milk (50ml) and let it rise in warm place for 15 minutes.
2. Heat the rest of milk until lukewarm and add butter. Remove from heat and add the egg and egg yolk.
3. Sift flour and add salt. Add the yeast mixture. Pour in milk-egg mixture and knead into a smooth tight dough.
4. Set aside and let the dough rise for 1 hour.
5. In the mean-time, cut the sausage in cubes.
6. Heat the cracklings on moderate temperature.
7. When the dough has risen, roll it into a think big square (as think as possible) on a floured cloth.
8. Spread it with the sour cream.
9. Sprinkle with the cracklings and sausage cubes.
10. Tightly roll it into a log.
11. Put it in a greased baking pan and let it again rise for 30 minutes.
12. Bake in a preheated oven at 180˙C for 1-1:15hr.
13. Make crosswise slices and serve hot or cold.

NOTE:
The yeast mixture should rise properly.
Use a floured cloth or baking paper to roll the dough.

Naan

This thick flatbread baked in the special tandoor oven (a type of clay oven) was always my favorite. But, while in India, I never really tried making it except once. And as I had tried to bake them in normal oven at home then, the naans came out hard and crunchy instead of its soft chewy texture. After that failure I never really tried again. Now here in Slovenia I tried making it once more. And this time on a flat pan over heat. To my surprise, it turned out perfect, soft and chewy with this amazing smell of fresh yeast breads. Greased with a bit of butter on top, they are eaten much quicker than I can make them.

You can print the recipe for your kitchen here: PRINTABLE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

(Makes 10)

750g flour (bread flour that contains high gluten)
7g dry active yeast
1 cup light yogurt
Warm water
1sp salt
3tbsp oil
Butter

METHOD:

1. Make a hole in the mound of flour and add the yeast in it. Add salt and oil on the side and start making the dough with a bit of warm water.
2. Add yogurt and make tight dough adding a little water at a time.
3. Knead the dough for 10mins more.
4. Cover it with kitchen cloth and keep in warm place for an hour to let it rise.
5. When the dough has doubled in volume, knead again for 5mins.
6. Divide in 10 equal balls.
7. Roll each ball into an elongated or teardrop shape.
8. Dust a little bit of flour on both sides of the naans, cover them and keep aside for 30 more minutes.
9. Heat a flat pan uniformly and then reduce the heat to medium.
10. Bake each naan at a time, gently pressing with spatula on the already baked side.
11. When the naan is baked through and is getting brown spots, remove it from the pan and grease it with butter (optional).

NOTE:
You can also of course use other forms of yeast instead of dry yeast.