November 8, 2008

Semolina Bread Loaf - Amateur's delight

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What is Semolina to a lot of people, is good old Sooji/Ravai to many of us.
It is also predominantly used to make pastas of different shapes and sizes. When one could make so much out of it, why not bread?

The last time I did a bread post, the most comments I got were how daunting bread making was to most of them. I really wanted to make something that was approachable and doable by even someone who is just starting out. So here it is, this time I forbid you from leaving comments that you can't do this :)

If you have never tried making bread before, this is a great place to start. And if you are a bread maker in the family, then this is something you should never miss.

For someone who is into healthy food like me, it may not be as "healthy" as whole wheat flour, but it does come out light, fluffy and has a beautiful light yellow tinge to it. How can one resist that?

Semolina flour should be available in the flour aisle of your grocery store, but I doubt there would be a pantry that uses Indian provisions where Semolina/Sooji/Ravai is missing!
So grab that, and grind it into a fine powder. It is sometimes difficult to achieve that because they are still coarse after grinding. If you have a heavy duty blender, sure give it a shot. I just got mine from the store. It was way easier.
But even the semolina flour that I got from the store, was a little coarse (texture was like fine granulated sugar)
I found the recipe from here, but the method I have followed is slightly different, and hence the detailed procedure in this post.

Go ahead, be bold, give it a try. I have tried to explain step-wise with pictures for your benefit.
Bread making doesn't have to be daunting anymore. Go girls and boys!

Semolina Bread Loaf

Ingredients:

Semolina flour - 3 1/4 cups (finely ground)
Warm water - 1 1/2 cups
Instant yeast - 1 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1 tbsp
Olive oil - 1/4 cup
Celtic sea salt - 1 1/2 tsp (Or to taste) (Can substitute with regular salt)

Method:

Dissolve yeast and sugar in the warm water and set aside for 5 minutes. It will froth up.

Add the flour, olive oil and salt and mix well.

Knead for about 15 minutes by hand till you get a smooth ball. Dust with flour if needed.

before rise

Coat with a teaspoon of oil, cover and let rise for 2 hours.

Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

After 2 hours the dough would double in size.

after rise

Take it out, folder over three or four times. There is no need to punch it down.

Roll into the size of the loaf pan, place it seam side down into the pan. Cover and let rise for about 1-2 hours. This method is called proofing.

Preheat oven to 375F.

When you see the dough spilling over the sides of the pan after rising, it is time to bake it off.

proofing

Bake it for 35-45 minutes, and the crust should be golden brown.

oven

Remove from loaf pan, and let it rest for about an hour.
You may store this at room temperature for about 3 days, and store in the refrigerator for longer. I doubt if one can keep their hands off of this bread! Tastes divine.

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This goes to:

Susan's Yeast Spotting
Mansi's Vegetarian Thanksgiving
Boaz's Bread Baking Day #14: Colored Breads
Suganya's Vegan ventures

80 comments:

  1. super anu...never tht of using rava in bread...hmmm good variation...pics are so perfect!

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  2. Divya the bread u made is lovely that i couldnt believe u made it with semolina fllour....gr8 going.....

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  3. Its not amateur for me.Truly PRO looking.I too had that recipe bookmarked.Lovely.But Celtic sea salt ? .. .Can I replace the same with normal salt?I am doubtful.

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  4. I never knew we could make bread from semolina.
    The bread looks beautiful and delicious.

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  5. You sure made it like a pro..I can imagine the aroma of homemade bread.I am a bread baking addict!! Havent tried it with semolina though!

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  6. Thanks for the quick answer Divs,Hope I did not trouble you .Cheers :D

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  7. How do you come up with such unique bread varieties? As others said, can't think of making a bread from rava. Bread loooks very soft just like a pound cake :)

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  8. Semolina bread is really new for me...good job Anu..eyecatching pics..

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  9. Looks so soft and using semolina flour is something unique and nice:)

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  10. As I said ur recipes are so innovative.Infact after seeing u baking bread at home am also tempted to try the same.very nice pics and bread looks so soft.

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  11. wow... really fantastic entry Divya,,.. looks perfect & delicious..

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  12. that looks really interesting Anu! I'll have to watch out for semolina flour in my stores! the bread looks lovely! thanks so much for sharing it with us for the event!:)

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  13. Perfectly raised bread :) Good one!

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  14. Wowww amazing .... lovely pics & yummy too

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  15. Divya your bread looks perfect and the step by step is very helpful...it really does seem doable..let me see if I am able to overcome my fear of bread baking this time and make this...thanks for the recipe :-)

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  16. Wonderful,supersoft and it has a nice texture. Semolina in bread making is new to me. Lovely pics too.

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  17. Wonderful bread recipe. Looks so good. Turned out perfect for u. YUM!. Lovely pictures...

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  18. I don't know why I am so scared to bake bread. This recipe is bookmarked...I am going to give it a try.

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  19. this is toooo good Anu. Looking delicious. I think I am going to try this too :). texture is very tempting.

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  20. fantastic looking bread! i had bookmarked this bread a long time ago but we don't seem to get fine rava flour here - wondering if i can just grind normal rava at home.
    thanks for the step-by-step. your explanations are clear and great! bookmarked.

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  21. Wow,this is great to try..your dough and bread looks so yummy.thanks for sharing anu.

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  22. I dont believe it we can make this at home... it looks so awesome.. wow!

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  23. The crumb looks fabulous and I bet one could make this in the bread machine too.

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  24. Looks really good.
    Semolina does make good bread, and yes you can run rawa in the grinder.
    Otherwise, there is a very fine rawa available in India which is used to make sweets. That will do well.

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  25. it looks very perfect anu....i think it may be tasty

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  26. Hats off. Nice presentation.You can start a CATERING COLLEGE.
    Ramkumar

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  27. superb..will try this soon..

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  28. The bread looks beautiful and delicious.superb..Nice presentation divya.

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  29. A small suprise waiting for you dear.Click on the link to follow Award Time

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  30. wow .. that looks soo perfect ..

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  31. Hi Divya, please check your mail.

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  32. Sooji Rava bread!,Super good Anu Divya:). Perfectly done.

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  33. That is one pretty golden loaf!

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  34. holy smokes! that's a perfect loaf of bread if ever i've seen one! it looks like it should be bagged and sold in the supermarket. nicely done.

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  35. the bread looks lovely!!!!

    i have an award waiting for u here..

    http://gourmetaffair.blogspot.com/2008/11/chocoholic-award.html

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  36. Hi anu ..
    thts great post ..its simple to experiment ..i am new to this baking world..so i will try this for sure ..
    thanks a lot anu for sharing this post
    love
    veena

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  37. This is something amazing ,bread and that with semolina too .
    Great pics and presentation .
    hugs and smiles

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  38. Looks perfect....and sounds very much do-able.

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  39. Anu u R really one one of a kind:-)

    never even occured to me that sooji could be used to bake a bread and it looks too easy not to bake it. the loaf with the slices looks so professionally done and sliced. I will sure have to give this a try.

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  40. Looks very soft and tempting.

    Have something for you in my blog :)

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  41. Wow Anudivya,this is simply awesome and mind blowing.I have to bookmark this.
    The texture is so good.

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  42. The bread looks so soft, baked to perfection Anu....

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  43. Thank u anu ...My recipes are thr in the menu da...Click the links
    love
    veena

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  44. Thanks for sharing this recipe.I'm no baker but I say this looks easy and love the color.

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  45. looks so soft and perfevt dear. i love to c that soft dough in that bowl and the last pic in that plate.
    perhaps its waiting for me ha ha ha....

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  46. hi anu,ragi sangati is nothing but making with rice n millet flour...it comes in the form of balls ...it is andhra's favt

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  47. Great yaar pics are very very good.... and nice idea of using rava in bread...

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  48. by the way u can use those steamed vadas in any curry also....

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  49. Bread looks yummy. There is something for u in my blog:-)

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  50. Wow looks gr8. Perfect looking bread.

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  51. Anu..You are Rocking Girl! Pretty Bread and its nice that you interpreted the comments of your previous bread post and posting an easy recipe for all of us. Keep Rocking!!

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  52. You made that! It looks so perfect! What a gorgeous loaf that is.

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  53. if this is amateur, I don't know what professional is! Looks amazing and what a great use of rava!

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  54. anu,I just finished with this lovely bread and am triumphant.!! Will be posting the pictures in my blog soon.Thank you for sharing this one..

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  55. this is super awesome. loved the loaf and the slices.....nothing like warm home made bread.

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  56. Wow.. SO nice picture and explanation !! Really mouth watering pic dear !! Loaf is so puffy and spongy !!

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  57. Wow.. that is perfection in a loaf!

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  58. When I bake bread, what satisfies me the most..is when the dough rises well...yours is a typical example..good job on that gorgeous loaf

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  59. Wow Anu...This bread looks super spongy. Love the texture & the recipe sounds so easy too...

    Nice pictures too...:-)

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  60. Anu, check this out
    http://vibaas-world.blogspot.com/2008/11/award.html

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  61. Perfect bread - and who said you are an amateur? The pictures speak something else!

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  62. wow.the bread looks great...good job!

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  63. That is such a pretty loaf.

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  64. anu,just see your bread in my blog.Sorry that its not so tempting as urs.

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  65. what a gorgeous looking loaf - like a halfway house between bread and cake. Such a lovely texture!

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  66. wow wow wow! Awesome! Lovely!I don't have any oter words right now. :)

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  67. Love that bread. How gorgeous is it?

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  68. That looks so yummy! Will try it! Btw, I tried your suggestion for the vada and this time it was much better! Thanks!!

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  69. Roshni - I am so glad it worked out this time.

    Ann - Yours looks just as good. I am glad you tried it. Two thumbs up to you!

    Vibaas, Vidhas, Arundhuti, Kitchen Flavors - Thank you very much for the award :)

    Mr. Ramkumar - Thanks very much for your encouraging comments. I am very happy to have you come read and leave comments on my blog. I really appreciate it.

    Curry Leaf - Yes normal salt would do too.

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  70. Thanks dear for visiting my blog. You've got a lovely e-cookbook! Free from ads. I love it. After seeing each of your creations, I go "WoW WoW". Your family must be really lucky! You've a dedicated follower now. :)

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  71. Bread looks perfect!

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  72. waaw bread could be made at home, just never thought of it also... perfect it looks. Roochi

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  73. A big thank you from a cook in the Puget Sound. My 10-year-old daughter wants to try a variety of different bread recipes over the upcoming holidays and this one will definitely be on her list!

    Tamara
    BuzzFood

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  74. Fantastic! No words, bread looks so good.

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  75. Wow.. anu superb. Although Semolina bread is new for me, but pics is making my mouth water. I love this bread. Let me try to make.

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  76. Hi

    I tried this bread and it came out gorgeous...loved it. Had one query though: Even though the bread was nice and soft from the inside, the outside was a bit crusty. I don't mind that at all but your photographs look like the outer crust is just as soft as in a sandwich bread. Is there anything I should have been more careful about?

    Thanks for the recipe, it is just yummy and my 3 year old daughter loved it too!

    Nirmala

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  77. hi, i tried this bread yesterday..
    the problem was, it didnt rise so well the second time, and fill the entire bread pan like yours. when i baked it, it didnt have any oven spring either. it was really hard and there werent many holes in the finished bread. what did i do wrong? i was careful about the measurements and temperature.

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  78. Hi, I made this bread yesterday, it luks so gorgeous here, couldnt resist making it.I used bombay rava & ground it to a pd. But to my dismay the crust was HARD, insides were soft, there was no color at all to the bread, it looked underbaked due to the white color,though it rose well, but not as high as the one here:( i proceeded exactly as directed, wonder where i went wrong.

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Thank you for taking the time to comment on this post. I will try to respond to queries as soon as I can. If I miss anything that needs to be addressed... please feel free to ping me again.
Happy cooking/baking or whatever it is you are doing in the kitchen! :)