Braided Bread

Ingredients for the bread

All purpose flour - 3 cups

yeast 1 tbsp

sugar 1 tbsp

1 egg

Salt - 1 teaspoon

Olive oil - 3 tbsp or butter - 4 tbsp

Lukewarm Milk - 1/4 cupL

Lukewarm water for dissolving the yeast and kneading the dough.

Ingredients for the filling

minced meat 1 cup

onion 1 small

ginger powder - 1tsp

red chilli powder

salt

ketchup 2 tablespoon

1 tomato

cornflour for making gravy thick (optional)- approx. 1 tsp

Method for the filling

1. In a saucepan, add oil and fry the onion.

2. Add ginger powder and stir a little.

3. Add the minced meat and let the water evaporate.

4. Add tomato and spices. Cover the lid and let it cook for a while till the tomatoes are tender.

5. Finally add the tomato ketchup and then add cornflour mixed in a little water. let it cook for 5-10 mins.

Method for the bread

1. Dissolve the yeast in a 1/4 cup lukewarm water and add the sugar. Let it rest for 15 mins.

2. Mix the other ingredients, flour, sugar, salt, egg, milk, butter and finally add the yeast mixture.

3. Knead the dough by adding slowly the lukewarm water until the dough becomes soft and elastic.

4. Cover and place it in a warm place to ferment for 1-2 hrs.

5. Roll out the bread dough till it is 1 cm thick.

6. Place it in a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

7. Now, place the minced-meat filling along the centre.

8. Cut strips with a sharp knife on either side of the filling.

9. Cover the filling with the strips in the form of a braid, putting one strip from one side and alternating with the strip from the other side, by leaving a little gap of 1cm between the strips. In the end, close the braid by gently tucking the end at the back of the bread, as shown in the pictures below.

8. Cover the baking tray with a cloth and allow it to rest for another 1 hr. The volume would have increased a little more now.

9. Bake the bread in a preheated oven at 190 °C for 15 mins. Take out the bread from the oven and brush the surface with an egg (mixed with 2 tsp water) and again bake the bread for 10 more mins.

Enjoy it with a nice hot soup !

It also goes to the eventDish Name Starts With B by Akila.