Home cook: Sharmini Jayawardena
“The best poet is the man who delivers our daily bread: the local baker” – Pablo Neruda
The ingredients for this bread are the same as the ingredients followed in the previous recipe for bread.
The difference is only in the method.
1. After having mixed all ingredients, and adding water💦 💧and mixing, cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside by a window or on top of the fridge, in a warm place, for the dough to rise, for 1 hour. The dough will double in proportion.
2. Dust the work surface or pastry board with floor.
3. Divide the dough in half with a knife🔪. Take one half and knead it on the surface by spreading out and pinching together a few times over.
4. Oil the surface of a bread tin all over. Place dough in the tin. The dough must have a smooth top surface.
5. Cover once again with the damp kitchen towel and set aside to rise once more for 1 hour.
6. Into half an hour set the oven to pre-heat for 30 minutes at 230 degrees C.
7. Place the loaf in the oven for 30 minutes at 230 degrees C.
8. In 20 minutes brush the top of the loaf liberally with softened butter. Allow it to drip down the sides as well. This is to obtain a good crust.
9. The bread is done when the crust is brown and it sound hollow to the tap.
Vege Buns or Maalu Paang, Sri Lankan, (Sinhala).
1. Divide the risen dough into 7 equal size balls and spread each in rhombus shapes on the bread board which is dusted with flour.
2. Place a small quantity of the filling of your choice and fold the dough into triangular shaped buns. Pinch the bottom to hold the filling in place.
3. Place them on the rack covered with aluminum foil, under the same damp cloth as the bread dough, to rise once more. Place in oven alongside the loaf.
✳Filling for Vege Buns
Makes 7 vege buns.
1. Cut 2 leeks into 1/2” pieces. Chop or slice 1 medium size onion🧅 and 2 green chilies. Add 2 cloves chopped garlic🧄 .
2. Add the leaves of 2 sprigs of curry leaves.
3. Add 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, curry powder and mix the ingredients well.
4. Add a liberal amount of black pepper powder and add salt to taste.
5. Fry in 2 tbsp coconut🌴 🥥oil until well cooked.
6. Remove from fire🔥
7. Add semi-mashed potato🥔 of 2 boiled potatoes to the mix. Mix well. Your filling is ready.
