Soda Bread

Being Sunday I planned to try something different for my kids. Further I have deep interest to experiment a lot with my new oven. So tried Irish famous food Soda Bread. Here baking soda is used instead of yeast and no need much kneading. Further they add dried fruit at the time of the end of the year when the harvest was going on as a treat for the men who were working. The woman of the house who was making the bread used to put raisins, a little bit of sugar and an egg traditionally. But egg is not must item. Since I never even cook or like the sight of egg, i avoided it. Traditionally they use caraway seeds, but i replaced it with black jeera. Be careful in mixing to get the ingredients to come together with the minimum amount of handling. The more you handle it, the tougher it will become. Traditionally they put cross on the top to sent the evils out. But we also can out cross to help bread to cook faster. Ok lets us go to the recipe.

Ingredients

Plain flour - 1 cup

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Butter milk - 1 1/2 cup ( increase or decrease according to need while kneading)

Black cumin seeds - 2 tsp ( can substitute with caraway seeds)

Sugar - 1 tsp

Baking powder - 1 tsp ( if tartar cream is available in your area, can use it in place of baking powder)

Butter - 2 tsp

Method

Mix all dry ingredients in a pan. Mix butter milk and butter ( better both are in roam temperature). Now add butter milk little by little and mix everything. Just mix, dont knead much. Just mix so that all come together, dont worry even if it is little sticky. Just hold everything together and make shape it to a soft loose ball. Place it over flour dusted oven tray. Pur a cross on the top.

Preheat over to 180 degree. For my oven, i have to keep it in 4. Place the baking tray inside the oven and bake it for 30 minutes or still the bread raises and is golden-brown in colour, sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. You can turn upside the bread in middle and cook for even cooking,

You can sprinkle sugar over the cross if you love little sweetness.

1. Transfer to a  wired rack or plate. Cover with a clean tea towel to keep it soft and crisp and allow to cool. When it is cooled, break into quarters or simply slice and serve. Eat fresh