Home made Two Cheese Bread - Yummy!!!

I ate this two cheese bread while in Cyprus and fell in love with it. Two things, one because it is savory and second because it was so rustic and yummy, made from whole wheat. Is there anything not to love?...The recipe is fairly simple and needs a little time and patience (like any other bread!)..

All you need...

Whole Wheat flour - 3 1/2 cups
Active Dry yeast - 1 1/4 tbsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Feta cheese - 1 cup
Cheddar cheese - 1 cup
Olive oil - 1 tbsp
Honey - 1 tbsp
Oregano or basil (dry) - 1 tsp
Milk- 1/2 cup
Water (luke warm) - 2 cups (as needed )

Process:

• Microwave a cup of water + milk for a minute (until lukewarm)
• Make sure its luke warm and add honey and mix well
• Add dry yeast and set aside for ten minutes - to activate the yeast (froth appears) (takes ten minutes or less)
• In the meanwhile, add salt, cheeses, oil and oregano to the flour and mix well
• Add the active yeast to the flour and knead the dough. Use the luke warm water if requried.
• Leave the dough to rise and cover the container with a moist cloth (for thirty minutes or so)
• After the first rise, take the dough onto a flat surface and punch it with your index finger
• Put the moist cloth back and leave it in a warm, dry place for the second rise (take around 40 minutes)
• Line the container ( you wish to bake your bread in ) with a little flour
• Transfer the dough to the container and leave it covered with the cloth for another 10 minutes
• Brush a mixture of milk and water onto the set dough for a beautiful crust
• Preheat your oven at 375 F and bake the bread for 20-25 minutes. (keep checking cos each oven is different)
• Pat lightly to check if its done.( A hollow sound means the bread is all set and done)
• Let it cool for a few minutes before you slice

Ah! life cant get any better!!

Look at the lovely crust, and do u see the yummy cheese in every slice...Bake it and let me know how it turned out..:)

Serving Suggestion
You have a wonderful Savory bread to devor with a bowl of hot soup and roasted potatoes or plantain

Trivia:

• Cheddar alone could be used for this bread
• You could rub in a piece of garlic and sprinkle some mozzarella and drizzle some olive oil on top and leave it in the microwave for a minute or two for a yummy batch of home made garlic bread

Carrot Coconut Poli - Vishu Special

Wishing every one a very happy Tamil New year and Vishu. Pa`lakkad Iyers and Malayalis arrange a vishu decoration to begin the new year. We look into the mirror as soon as we get up and pray for a healthy, peaceful and a prosperous year ahead. A mirror arrangement, done the previous night, is made to reflect fresh green and yellow vegetables, fruits, flowers on a bed of rice and dal. Money, clothes (preferably white) and a tiny krishna idol also form a part of the arrangement. Head of the family lights the lamp (placed in front of the mirror) early in the morning and prays for well being of kith and kin. Children are woken up and brought to the mirror with their eyes closed. They are made to view the arrangement in the mirror and given Kani (money). More on Vishu here >> Link

Among the various goodies made for this festival, Tamil kitchens have Poli on their menu. While in conversation with my ma in law, I was talking about different fillings for a poli and told her about my love for carrot and coconut poli (among other variations). She said she would try this one out and tell me. The perfectionist that she is, not only did she make the Carrot Coconut poli, but promptly sent me pictures. For all her enthusiasm, how could I not document it on Avial and Rasam. As a rule I tend to make poli out of every possible vegetable and fruit (lol)... My ma in law used Maida (all purpose flour...I stick to whole wheat flour or atta)

All you need: for Ten 6 " polis

1. Carrot (grated) - 1 cup
2. Coconut (shredded)- 1 cup
3. Jaggery - 1 cup (or to suit your taste)
4. Elaichi - 3 (powdered)
5. Flour (maida/all purpose) - 2 1/2 cup
6. Haldi /turmeric - 1 pinch
7. Ghee / oil - 1/4 cup
8. salt- 1/4 tsp (or less)
9. Water - 2 cups (or as required)

Process:
Puran: (the stuffing / filling)

• Add salt and turmeric to the maida (or whoel wheat flour) and pour in a tbsp of oil, add sufficient water and knead it into a dough (not too firm). Keep it aside and let the dough rest for an hour or so.
• soak jaggery in 1/2 cup of water and when it dissolves completely, sieve it through a filter (to remove sediments if any)
• In a Kadai, pour in the filtered jaggery water and simmer for a minute
• Add the cardamom powder, combine carrots and coconut and cook until the ingredients are cooked and the mixture is dry and done
• When the stuffing is cool, divide them into ten parts  

For the poli

• Divide your 10 dough into equal parts and roll each one out into a mini roti and place the filling on top
• close the rolled out and stuffed  roti and use a little oil and press it down (with your fingers and the palm)
• Roast it in a flat pan /tava apply oil or ghee(clarified butter) once both sides are done

Serving suggestion
serve with a cup of milk

Trivia

• This makes a wonderful dessert and is made in most south Indian homes. 
• A traditional Poli is stuffed with a mixture of split Chickpea and jaggery. There could be regional variations though.
• What its called- Marathi - Puran Poli; Telugu- bobbattu; Tamil - Poli; Kannada - Obbatu
• (Whatever the name, this dish tastes just as sweet!)
• any vegetable which go into a parata works well in a poli...a little imagination and the possibilities are endless

Do try and let me know !!!!