It is a proven fact that the strongest emotions and memories are triggered by smell. And one of the smells that compete with the best perfumes in the world is the smell of freshly-baked bread. It is actually surprisingly easy to make one’s own bread at home. You just need to get over the mindset that roti should be made at home and bread bought from stores.

Tips for cooking with yeast

The most essential ingredient for baking bread is yeast. It is a living organism that is triggered by warmth and moisture. It works by converting the sugar in the bread dough into alcohol and gas, thus causing the bread to rise. Most good supermarkets and shops now stock fast-action dried yeast that can be directly added to the flour. If using ordinary dried yeast, one needs to soak it in slightly warm water with a little sugar before mixing it in the flour. The yeast should dissolve in about five minutes and the mixture should be frothy. If this does not happen discard the yeast and try again.
Glazing the bread
Whether you are making rolls or loaves, they can be given a shine or a glaze by applying a thin glaze on the top with a pastry brush before putting it in the oven.
w For a crisp crust: Brush with water.
w For a soft crust: Brush with milk.
w For a shiny and crisp crust: Brush with egg yolk with a pinch of salt.
One can also get a shiny crust if the bread is brushed with a sugar and water solution directly after baking.
One can use any toppings on the bread like nuts, cheese, sesame seeds, grated cheese etc. These should be sprinkled on the bread after glazing and before putting it in the oven.

Farmhouse loaf

This is the traditional bread made by most households that bakes their own bread. We will use wholegrain flour (atta) instead of refined flour (maida).

Ingredients
750 gm wholegrain flour and extra for dusting the bread tin
35 gm butter or table margarine
2 tsp salt
1 sachet (around 7 gm) fast-action dried yeast
450 ml (slightly less than half litre) tepid water
Oil for greasing
1 kg bread tin

Method
Rub the butter into the flour with your fingers till the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, then mix the salt and the yeast (since we are using fast-action yeast, we need not soak it in sugar water first). Make a well in the middle of the mixture and gently pour in the warm water. With a wooden spoon knead into a soft but not sticky dough. This can also be done in a food processor or a hand-mixer with a dough attachment.
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in it and knead again till it’s quite smooth. Shape it into a rough ball, cover with oiled cling film and keep in a warm place (next to your cooking range is fine) for 90 minutes. The dough should rise to roughly double its size by then.
Knead the dough again for 2-3 minutes till it’s smooth and elastic once again. Lightly oil the bread tin and shape the dough to fit in the tin. Press in the sides so it has a smooth slightly rounded top. Cover loosely and set aside for another 30 minutes till the dough rises again to reach the top of the tin.
Lightly dust the top of the loaf with flour and bake in a preheated oven at 230°C for 30 minutes till its golden. Take the loaf out of the tin and tap its base with your knuckles, it should have a nice hollow sound. If not, bake for another 5 minutes. Once done, cool on a wire rack before slicing.

Dinner rolls

An easier variant of bread is the ubiquitous bread roll that is very versatile and goes with salads, soups and grilled food.

Ingredients
(for 18 rolls)
500 gm refined flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fast-action dried yeast
350 ml of slightly warm water
Oil for greasing

Method
Mix the salt and yeast with the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour the water. Knead with a wooden spoon to make a soft but not sticky dough. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in it and knead again till it’s quite smooth. Shape it into a rough ball, cover with oiled cling film and keep in a warm place for 90 minutes. The dough should rise to roughly double its size by then. Lightly oil three baking trays and divide the dough into 18 even pieces and shape them into balls.
Arrange the balls on the trays leaving room for the dough to expand. Cover loosely and leave in a warm place for a further 20 minutes. Bake the rolls in a preheated oven at 190°C for 20 minutes. They should be golden in colour. Take the rolls out and tap the bases to check if a hollow sound emanates. If not, bake for another 5 minutes.