Why is there no really good bread in india?

hash666 · Mar 20th, 2008, 02:00

cos they have no bread to buy good bread..

Gardener972 · Mar 21st, 2008, 09:08

This thread just caught my attention because I think you can't get any better than the Indian breads! It's much healthier too because you don't have the yeast to contend with makes a person "yeasty" or full of candida. I'm been making chapatis for months now and haven't bought bread in just as long. I also like the idea that my own chapatis aren't full of preservatives and they're made with different types of whole grains which add more nutrition to our diets. I guess it's all what a person is used to.

Aishah · Mar 21st, 2008, 09:27

Shere - discussion re invertors starting on this page in this thread:
configuring broadband/PC power protection/cable-satellite TV in India...
sorry haven't been reading this Thread for a while! The microwave recipe is in Cooking and Cuisine Forum, selkie. I will put it here later, but you might find it in the meantime. (Have powercut, battery in laptop low, so have to logout now!

SPACEBUM · Mar 21st, 2008, 10:39

I liked Tibetan home-made bread very much. They have two versions - unleavened and sweet.

Aishah · Mar 21st, 2008, 12:42

Here is the 'easy' bread - it is more like a cake, but with butter and your topping is quite tasty!
You need around 2 cups flour - into this I mix about 2tbspn milk powder (Optional). For the flour you can use wholemeal + some other of choice, e.g besan, millet, rice, etc. You can make a mix of your own, but some wholemeal is needed for the gluten.
In a bowl, whisk with a fork 1 egg. Add some of the flour+2 teaspoons baking powder, pinch salt, 1 desertspoon sugar.
Add water, more flour, until you get a thick batter (really thick).
Put all into a 6" square microwave proof pan (glass or plastic).
Set on High (mine is 850 watts) for 6 mins. Let it stand for 6 mins. Turn out and cool on a rack. (It can sometimes look sort of soggyish underneath but this dries up on cooling).

btw you don't need to cover it in the microwave.

giripriya · May 10th, 2008, 08:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by SPACEBUM

I liked Tibetan home-made bread very much. They have two versions - unleavened and sweet.

Are you talking about tingmo? The steamed bread? Yummm...

Supposedly there are some good bakeries in Kathmandu(in Thamel and maybe other places) which were opened by Germans in the '60s - I think one is called simply 'German Bakery'. I can't say I've tried them - was too busy enjoying Nepali khana. The Gemini grocery store in Boudha actually sold bagels - I didn't try them because for sure as a New Yorker I would have been disappointed. I did go to a small restaurant in Gorkha for breakfast one morning and they actually had run out of roti and only had Western style white bread. It wasn't as refined as Wonder bread and was actually quite good toasted, I thought. It was sweeter than the bread here and reminded me of the Portuguese sweetbread which I grew up with in Hawaii, or Jewish challah bread. I would love to try a Nepali grilled cheese sandwich with that bread and yak cheese - I think it would be pretty good!!

Emiline · May 11th, 2008, 17:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by the opoponax

There already is a bakery in Pune doing whole grain western style loaves.

It's just that most backpackers don't know about it, because it's not in the two-block radius where the few western tourists in Pune hang out (though Pune's German Bakery does a pretty good job and may well have this sort of thing).

Could someone please tell me where this bakery in Pune is?

By the way I've been to India twice now, the last time for quite a few months and I totally agree that decent quality western bread is very difficult to find.

Of course the Indian breads and Indian food are far the best in India, but at the same time, sometimes you just want to have variety or something comforting and easy - like a nice sandwich or toast in the morning. This problem is compounded by the fact I am Australian and really enjoy vegemite on toast, something which as you may understand is totally inedible with such awful sugary, processed white bread.

It's not only foreigners, a lot of Indians do like their westernised foods (which are usually expensive in comparison to a nice curry) and often a lot worse in quality!! So, I don't see how making something healthier and nicer wouldn't be received well by those who already purchase it.

Anyway, if someone can let me know where this bakery in Pune is, it would be very much appreciated!! I am looking for anywhere that does a nice hearty wholemeal/wholegrain loaf that doesn't taste like a mouthful of sugar. I would be very happy!!

Cayle · Jun 17th, 2008, 10:23

Bread is a cultural thing and so is the definition of “good” bread. The OP is Swiss, so he/she falls into the Germany/Switzerland/Austria school of bread. The populace of those countries – in essence the German speakers – has a heavy, whole grain bread that is central to their diet. They are the world’s biggest bread eaters and tend to miss their “real” bread when living abroad.

One of the advantages of living in India is that I don’t have to eat German bread.

My take on German bread is that it tastes like dirt and is abrasive against the roof of my mouth; but my German wife thinks that it is the greatest thing in the world and she misses it here.

Aishah · Jun 17th, 2008, 13:13

Very nice bread baked at Chhaya Cafe located at Malingar the top of Landour Bazaar - all home cooking, whole wheat, and several types including pumpkin and ginger. I pick up a loaf which lasts me a week whenever I'm there - it's much better than packaged one from a bakery in Dehra Dun - it's meant to be whole wheat but locals tell me it's coloured madda with caramel. It feels incredibly light for the size.

Dilliwala · Jun 17th, 2008, 19:45

Aishah, right opposite the cafe (is it always open? Still haven't been), below the road are two bakers, one of whom makes real bread. Pretty expensive, now 30 bucks, but it's 600 grams and very good. You may have seen it upstairs - the internet guys at CD and also Prakash sell it, or used to (but at a premium).
The guy's name is Inam, he delivers home as well, but only Mon/Wed/Fri (i.e. only bakes 3 days a week and sometimes he goes off to his village or for a wedding, etc.)

Aloo · Jun 17th, 2008, 21:08

I was a bread baker for quite a while at an artisinal bread bakery in NYC,, we chruned out the rustic sourdoughs, crisp baguettes, ciabatta rolls, bbuttery brioches, challah, etc. Why you won't find the made much in India is because there is a lack of accessible raw ingredients. You can get "white" flour and "brown" flour, but it isn't broken down any further than that into differences in protien contents, which makes doing anything other than home baking or some crappy mass baking possible. Also with the heat and humidity and frequent poer cuts, the yeast becomes an issue..not just the raw yeast, but the starters than most bread makers worth a hoot will use..called levains or poolish..these going off by a few degrees a few too many times screws with the mother doughs..not a good thing. Often in Subtropical or tropical climates the yeast will just die before the bread has even had a chance to proof.

theres also the issue of equipment..how many of you have a decent oven installed in your home? Convection oven? Steam injected deck oven? I think you may be lucky to have just an oven, where as the other two are needed for good bread with a crisp chewy dense crust. This equipment costs are high in western countries,,you'd need a good backer to get one in India. That being said, if I can geta business partner and locate a 20 qt minimum spiral mizer and at the very least a steam injected convection oven, I'd LOVE to start my own bakery there at some point.

Aishah · Jun 17th, 2008, 21:29

Will look out for that one tomorrow, Dilliwalla - we are off to same area for veggie buying etc. There is also a man who comes here about once a week with a basket of breads - maybe he is from the same bakery?

Dilliwala · Jun 18th, 2008, 01:55

Inam usually delivers himself. Tall fair guy, around 26.
He lives in that compound with the open space, to the right of the Mullingar road while going down.

vistet · Jun 18th, 2008, 02:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by giripriya

Are you talking about tingmo? The steamed bread? Yummm...

Mmmm... tingmo

Quote:

Originally Posted by giripriya

Supposedly there are some good bakeries in Kathmandu(in Thamel and maybe other places) which were opened by Germans in the '60s - I think one is called simply 'German Bakery'. I can't say I've tried them - was too busy enjoying Nepali khana.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cayle

Bread is a cultural thing and so is the definition of “good” bread. The OP is Swiss, so he/she falls into the Germany/Switzerland/Austria school of bread. The populace of those countries – in essence the German speakers – has a heavy, whole grain bread that is central to their diet. They are the world’s biggest bread eaters and tend to miss their “real” bread when living abroad.

One of the advantages of living in India is that I don’t have to eat German bread.

My take on German bread is that it tastes like dirt and is abrasive against the roof of my mouth; but my German wife thinks that it is the greatest thing in the world and she misses it here.

Had a German co-worker who used to bring very special German bread to work , the kind that made you realise how the term breadboard was coined : it was so obvious that you could mount components on it that no one even bothered doing it. When she stopped bringing it some asked in concerned voices over the fate of the bandsaw.

Personally I can recommend The Non-German Bakery in Leh , here

Mar 21st, 2008, 09:27	#78
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,006	Shere - discussion re invertors starting on this page in this thread: configuring broadband/PC power protection/cable-satellite TV in India... sorry haven't been reading this Thread for a while! The microwave recipe is in Cooking and Cuisine Forum, selkie. I will put it here later, but you might find it in the meantime. (Have powercut, battery in laptop low, so have to logout now! __________________ "Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards."

Jun 17th, 2008, 10:23	#83
Cayle Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Bangalore Posts: 61	Bread is a cultural thing and so is the definition of “good” bread. The OP is Swiss, so he/she falls into the Germany/Switzerland/Austria school of bread. The populace of those countries – in essence the German speakers – has a heavy, whole grain bread that is central to their diet. They are the world’s biggest bread eaters and tend to miss their “real” bread when living abroad. One of the advantages of living in India is that I don’t have to eat German bread. My take on German bread is that it tastes like dirt and is abrasive against the roof of my mouth; but my German wife thinks that it is the greatest thing in the world and she misses it here. __________________ Blog - http://ayearinindia.wordpress.com/ Panoramo Photos - http://www.panoramio.com/user/1275355

Jun 17th, 2008, 21:08	#86
Aloo cheese naan-ophile Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: My Suitcase Posts: 42	Answers, Maybe I was a bread baker for quite a while at an artisinal bread bakery in NYC,, we chruned out the rustic sourdoughs, crisp baguettes, ciabatta rolls, bbuttery brioches, challah, etc. Why you won't find the made much in India is because there is a lack of accessible raw ingredients. You can get "white" flour and "brown" flour, but it isn't broken down any further than that into differences in protien contents, which makes doing anything other than home baking or some crappy mass baking possible. Also with the heat and humidity and frequent poer cuts, the yeast becomes an issue..not just the raw yeast, but the starters than most bread makers worth a hoot will use..called levains or poolish..these going off by a few degrees a few too many times screws with the mother doughs..not a good thing. Often in Subtropical or tropical climates the yeast will just die before the bread has even had a chance to proof. theres also the issue of equipment..how many of you have a decent oven installed in your home? Convection oven? Steam injected deck oven? I think you may be lucky to have just an oven, where as the other two are needed for good bread with a crisp chewy dense crust. This equipment costs are high in western countries,,you'd need a good backer to get one in India. That being said, if I can geta business partner and locate a 20 qt minimum spiral mizer and at the very least a steam injected convection oven, I'd LOVE to start my own bakery there at some point.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Bread making machines	CliveG	Indian Cooking and Cuisine	34	Aug 28th, 2007 17:30
Bread	evilpoodle	Bangalore	17	Dec 26th, 2006 13:16
India and Pakistan: Good Fences Make Good Neighbors	bijapuri	India Travel News and Commentary	8	Jul 5th, 2004 14:14

Mar 20th, 2008, 02:00	#76
hash666 Lord of the Flames Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Land of the Free Posts: 319	cos they have no bread to buy good bread..

Mar 21st, 2008, 09:08	#77
Gardener972 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Dallas, Texas USA Posts: 288	This thread just caught my attention because I think you can't get any better than the Indian breads! It's much healthier too because you don't have the yeast to contend with makes a person "yeasty" or full of candida. I'm been making chapatis for months now and haven't bought bread in just as long. I also like the idea that my own chapatis aren't full of preservatives and they're made with different types of whole grains which add more nutrition to our diets. I guess it's all what a person is used to.

Mar 21st, 2008, 10:39	#79
SPACEBUM Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Russia Posts: 16	I liked Tibetan home-made bread very much. They have two versions - unleavened and sweet.

Mar 21st, 2008, 12:42	#80
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,006	Here is the 'easy' bread - it is more like a cake, but with butter and your topping is quite tasty! You need around 2 cups flour - into this I mix about 2tbspn milk powder (Optional). For the flour you can use wholemeal + some other of choice, e.g besan, millet, rice, etc. You can make a mix of your own, but some wholemeal is needed for the gluten. In a bowl, whisk with a fork 1 egg. Add some of the flour+2 teaspoons baking powder, pinch salt, 1 desertspoon sugar. Add water, more flour, until you get a thick batter (really thick). Put all into a 6" square microwave proof pan (glass or plastic). Set on High (mine is 850 watts) for 6 mins. Let it stand for 6 mins. Turn out and cool on a rack. (It can sometimes look sort of soggyish underneath but this dries up on cooling). btw you don't need to cover it in the microwave.

Jun 17th, 2008, 13:13	#84
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,006	Very nice bread baked at Chhaya Cafe located at Malingar the top of Landour Bazaar - all home cooking, whole wheat, and several types including pumpkin and ginger. I pick up a loaf which lasts me a week whenever I'm there - it's much better than packaged one from a bakery in Dehra Dun - it's meant to be whole wheat but locals tell me it's coloured madda with caramel. It feels incredibly light for the size.

Jun 17th, 2008, 19:45	#85
Dilliwala Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dilli Posts: 2,999	Aishah, right opposite the cafe (is it always open? Still haven't been), below the road are two bakers, one of whom makes real bread. Pretty expensive, now 30 bucks, but it's 600 grams and very good. You may have seen it upstairs - the internet guys at CD and also Prakash sell it, or used to (but at a premium). The guy's name is Inam, he delivers home as well, but only Mon/Wed/Fri (i.e. only bakes 3 days a week and sometimes he goes off to his village or for a wedding, etc.)

Jun 17th, 2008, 21:29	#87
Aishah She-who-must-be-obeyed! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Jaisalmer Posts: 4,006	Will look out for that one tomorrow, Dilliwalla - we are off to same area for veggie buying etc. There is also a man who comes here about once a week with a basket of breads - maybe he is from the same bakery?

Jun 18th, 2008, 01:55	#88
Dilliwala Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Dilli Posts: 2,999	Inam usually delivers himself. Tall fair guy, around 26. He lives in that compound with the open space, to the right of the Mullingar road while going down.

User Name		Remember Me?
Password