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Rye-Buttermilk-Fennel Bread aur ek jumbo size Pink Chaddi
February 12, 2009 | 43 Comments
Fennel from our garden
Edited to add: Please help Gaurav if you can. This blog is dedicated to Hari who we lost two years ago while he was similarly awaiting a bone marrow transplant. Gaurav and his family need your help.
aur = and. ek = one. Chaddi = underwear.
Yeah, yeah, the chaddi enthusiasts want to scroll down real quick, but we have to show you some of the new features we’ve added on.
See the new navbar? There’s a new home page with its own navbar, then there are many other sections – food, photography, yadda yadda. Go to Food, for example, and under the navbar, you’ll find new sub-sections like ‘ Recipe Index‘. The ten recent posts on the left sidebar in each section are from that section.
There’s a special page for CLICK with all the info you need – rules, image gallery, entry form, theme, etc.
For those of you who follow some sections of our blog and not others, there are new RSS feeds for individual sections – food, travel, garden, bitching and moaning, CLICK, etc.
We don’t really enjoy handling all this crappy code that we know diddly squat about and there are some things that still need sorting out. We haven’t tested this on Chrome ‘cos there’s no Mac version. Some folks have complained about problems viewing our site on Internet Explorer. We recommend Firefox or Safari for browsing this site.
Towards the end of summer, our fennel plant scattered a lot of seeds around. We should have some more saplings coming up this year.
Since we don’t have much time to cook these days, we’ve put the sourdough starter in the freezer. I found some rye flour and yogurt that needed to be used up. Most of the rye bread recipes in my cookbooks are sourdough or dairy-free. I found one in Beatrice Ojakangas’ Whole Grain Breads by Machine or by Hand that fit the bill perfectly – a “straight” bread that uses rye and buttermilk along with fennel seeds.
I added some sunflower seeds for extra texture. I reduced the salt and added the seeds towards the end of kneading, ‘cos they tend to tear the gluten.
Very yummy bread. I put some of the dough in small muffin cups for mini-rolls and the rest in a copper fluted pan for a small loaf.
RYE-BUTTERMILK BREAD WITH FENNEL, butter and Orange-Raspberry Jam
(Makes a two-pound loaf)
3 cups bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)
1 cup dark rye flour
1 and 1/3 cup buttermilk or low-fat plain yogurt
1.5 tbsps brown sugar (or jaggery)
**I used 1.25 tbsp organic raw cane sugar plus half tbsp molasses
2 tsps salt
**I used 1.5 tsps
2 tsp active dry yeast
1.5 tbsps butter
**clarified butter/ghee tastes even better
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1. Toss everything together in a big bowl (except the fennel and sunflower seeds). Knead until comes together into a get a smooth, elastic ball of dough (6 to 8 minutes). If it is too dry, add 1 tbsp. water at a time. If it is too wet, add 1 tbsp. flour at a time.
2. Add the fennel and sunflower seeds and knead for another couple of minutes.
3. Put it in a large bowl, cover the bowl with a plate, or oiled cling wrap, and keep it in a warm place until doubled in quantity. (one to 1.5 hours)
4. Grease a loaf pan.
5. Punch the dough down gently, knead it a bit, shape it into a loaf, and place it (seam side down) in the loaf pan. (See instructions for shaping here)
6. Cover it with a floured tea towel and let it rise again until almost doubled (about 40-45 minutes).
7. Preheat oven to 375 F with a rack in the middle.
8. Slash the loaf across the top to let out steam.
9. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until the loaf is golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
**Rolls, depending on size will take 13 to 18 minutes.
Wild fennel growing by the highway in northern California.
Fresh fennel seeds are sweet, delicious, and make a great mouth freshener.
Our entry for Think Spice: Fennel hosted by Ivy of Kopiaste.
Have you guys heard of the Sri Ram Sena (Army of Lord Ram)? I hadn’t until a couple of my blog buddies sent me a link. The BBC had an article with a video that showed them assaulting and molesting women who visit pubs in Mangalore in southern India.
Then there’s the Indian police force and legal system that lets them roam free on bail.
These guys say they will beat up and blacken the faces of any couple that goes out on Valentine’s day – unless they get married or tie a rakhi and declare they are brother and sister. **snort** They also have a thing against Hindus dating Muslims.
I understand their concern. If women go to pubs and meet smart, sensible guys, who will cook, clean and breed for these “cultured” types?
Valentine’s day is a Western thing. Hindu peoplez don’t do all that love-shove tamasha. The parents of the Sri Ram Sena guys conceived them just by drinking nariyal pani and eating hajmola. Ancient Hindu culture has a cut-off date. It apparently starts after the Kama Sutra was written.
(Tamasha = spectacle. Nariyal pani = coconut water. Hajmola = this stuff.)
Where does that leave the un-Hindu types? They formed the Consortium of Pub-going, Loose and Forward Women. They’re Delhi-based and really efficient. They collected loads of pink granny panties like this one from around the world and shipped it out earlier this week to the macho men from the Sri Ram Sena.
No kidding. Since I don’t own a pink chaddi, I’m sending a virtual one.
On Feb 14, Valentine’s Day, (the day on which Indian women’s virginity and honour will self-destruct), all the women who donated pink chaddis will walk to the nearest pub and buy a drink to raise a toast to the Sri Ram Sena.
If you are a loose and forward un-Hindu woman and live in one of the metros, you could join the pub crawl they have organised. Contact details are HERE.
Oh, the Home Minister of Karnataka has a blog. Maybe we should send him pink chaddis too, for failing to put these guys behind bars. As a declaration of love to myself on Valentine’s day, I’m going to get a new bottle of pepper spray. I’ll need to use it the next time I visit India in case I meet one of these freaks.
Talking of chaddis, I have to share this story. My super-slim cousin M went to one of those little roadside stores in Mumbai to buy panties. You know, one of those shoebox-sized places which can have only two or three people in at once, with a loft at the top. The owner shouts out sizes and one of his little minions passes them down from the loft.
M was in the store and just after her walked in a very well-endowed lady. The shop owner turns to M and asks gruffly, “Kya size, madam?” (What size, ma’am?)
M says “Small.”
Owner yells to the boy in the loft: “Chottu, ek small aur ek jummmmbo size dena.”
(Dude, give me one small and one jummmbo size.”)
Talk about being politically correct.
- Bee
buttermilk, Dairy/Cheese, Fennel, fennel seeds, GARDENING, pink chaddi, Rye, Sunflower Seeds, vegetarian recipes, Wheat
Wow lovely recipe.. as usual great pics!!!
I love the new look of your blog. The bread sounds fantastic and I came imagine that lovely aroma coming out of the oven. Thanks for participating.
This is great look guys! And i think Bee is in a toasting mood! Have fun !
I walked into an exhibition of gymwear and found that the Large size of trousers I liked were priced more than the others of the same design. When I asked the owner if she didn’t like large people, she said the lower prices of the smaller sizes were an “incentive” to the slim ones, for being slim.
Hey thanks for the Chaddi post guys
And for the yummy bread and the reworked easier-to-navigate blog
Hey….i liked the makeover….very nice look…also quite refreshing
a photo gallery would have been nice too , for many of us to get inspired and learn …
Btw, I was usinG Chrome just now, it works well …(though i had some page not found error while clicking on of the archives….assume it is a work in progress)
LMAO!
Beeeeeeee, you are such a girl’s girl sometimes. *hugs*
Oh goodness, the police force could at least be much more vigilant on Valentine’s Day because they have a warning and everything? Well, we’ll find out tomorrow O~o
The bread looks perfect as usual!
I was just about to say I was so intrigued by the description of a fennel plant scattering seeds. And then you showed a flowering one! Thanks.
Raspberry jam is my favorite jam NEXT to mango-pineapple
LOL @ pink chaddies and so silly too. All Indian blogs are buzzing about Rama Sene and V day ban and threats to hurt who do go out for romantic dinner! I personally don’t care about V day, this day and thay day US is keen on but if someone wants to enjoy, they should be able to. That’s what democracy is all about!! Hypocrite bunch at it’s best!!
You grew Fennel, me scattering some too this May then! Bread looks yummy. good one for Fennel event.
Have a great weekend, got your fave gravy at FH!!!!!!!!!!!!
And here i was thinking that huge pink chaddy was from you
)
I must say I don’t do anything special on valentines day, i just think it is a big pohaa for a certain day.
Bread looks so beautiful.
“The parents of the Sri Ram Sena guys conceived them just by drinking nariyal pani and eating hajmola.” lol
Just what i was looking for before i started my boring router upgrade. Will get back to work now. Love you guys.
lovely bread, ive fallen in love with pumpernickel recently, and thats made from rye and wheat (in the US at least), this must be nice…
I ve learnt through my Kannadiga husb about this pink chaddi. U made a blast Bee!
Wonderful aromatic bread!
Homepage ooh lala that is great makeover, very user friendly, I love the most is different feed.
Tell us the list of ingredients which u didn’t grow, If u were my neigh I would have came across the fence and steal all the nature beauties
Just sat down after lunch and all the work infront of the TV and what do I see? All the pink chaddiwalas are getting arrested in M’lore and in Mumbai, police also warning anybody who bothers the people who are celebrating V day too! Cool, huh? Still people say they want to go to Spa or stay inside and celebrate with family because they are scared to go out.
After Mumbai attack, we got whole Asian channels (Dish Network) from Headlines news to Aaj Tak, Sony, ZCine etc. So I get to see the latest. They are showing Laloo’s speech, ugh!!!What a clown!!
Love;y beautiful bread..!!:)
Very nicely done – Bee & Jai. I remember stopping on the highway to take pics of fennel.
Great bread. Great pics too. I defy anyone who treat women poorly. Why is it wrong when women enjoy a drink and not so bad when men do? They say, it’s not Indian culture. Agreed. But that raises the question, is assaulting and molesting women Indian culture. Zindabad for such a campaign.
saffronapron.blogspot.com
Great looking bread and those bakeware too. Where did you get them?
it’s just an old copper pan.
That’s so good to read that people aren’t reacting submissively to the scare tactics; change is inevitable- like chaddis.
What a surprise. The site looks great. Nice graphics, easier to navigate. When did this happen?
yesterday.
Thanks so much for writing about the ram sena. I think some of things these people do amount to cultural terrorism. I am a proud member of the pub going, loose and forward women consortium!
Bee, thanks for the reminder to those of us who are (here in most of the US anyway) free to raise a glass in a pub whether or not we wear pink chaddis.
I am guessing that bread sent aroma scouts out early to rile up your taste buds while baking. Looks delicious and just right for these warm and then cool again Spring days/nights.
Nice new look for the blog(s) as well. For avowed non-techhies you and Jai sure do host a lovely and thoughtfully detailed site. Kudos!
And – Happy Pink Chaddis Day!
yes, I’m a member of this consortium. I’m just shocked at the state of things in India. We need to give it back to them.
I think I need to send them this virtual chaddi too (I’m not sure whom the credit for this logo/virtual chaddi goes to, though).
Loved that joke about the Ram Sena. Well, this theory is supported by the ‘interpretations’ of Indian Mythology. I feel sick and wonder if we really are going more and more backwards in this regard. Atleast it appears so. It is a shame.
About the joke at the end, what do I say it has happened to me India many years ago almost like this. LOL!
BTW, before I forget, love the new blog design. Great that you have finally made the CLICK Page.
Hi guys,
i love fresh fennel, its called variyali in gujarati and they used to sell it outside our school. This whole pink chaddi thing has me scratching my head – those ram sena people dont have anything better to do?
ms
Wow, what a wonderful combination! Rye bread is one of my favorites (I also happen to live in the town of Rye, NY). And the baked fennel seeds probably afford a wonderful aroma and flavor. I’m excited to try this!
One would think that the politicians would be bothered about National Security than girls going to pubs! People sure have their priorities wrong!
Love the new look ! and of course the bread!
And oh! Happy pink chaddi day!
I’m in love with Jugalbandi’s new look! And yeah, happy pink chaddi day
I have everything except the rye flour in my pantry right now…there’s always one thing missing! Love the bread and seems easy enough to make.
God knows when people will change their attitudes man…there is such wide disconnect between people, it’s hard to believe that those politicians/religious groups are born in this century.
This morning I sorted out all my pink chaddis for the SRS..death by thonging to their goonery.
Oh, and the ladies have a Facebook group. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=49641698651&ref=nf
Let us call them Ravan Sena. It is a great injustice to allow them the name of Shri Ram, who was the epitome of justice and human virtues.
Hi,
This is shobha here and as usual i LOVED the shot and the camera…is thsi still the canon 300? its sooo beautiful….do u live in california? the hazy background is amazing…and the sharpness of the fennel is awesome!!!
shobha, we used to live in california. not any more. haven’t started regularly using the new camera yet.
The bread looks yummy:) I must try it out. I am not sure we get rye flour in India though.
I was happy to see your reference to the Pink Chaddi Movemement. Enjoyed the chaddi story too;)
Sharon
I still don’t understand why going to pubs must be the epitome of modernity in today’s India. As much as it is touted as “western” or “American” culture, I have found that there are many ways to be “cool” in America and one need not always go to pubs or drink alcohol in order to be so. Also, I don’t understand the statement that women will meet smart and sensible men only in pubs. There are plenty of ways to meet smart, sensible, non mama’s boys type of men!
Okay, some misguided youth did something terribly stupid, and the law should take its course (just as the law is taking its course in dealing with real criminals like Afzal Guru, and for whom certain zholawala type people’s hearts bleed endlessly, but I digress). Why is a saree wearing, bindi wearing, vegetarian and teetotaler woman who runs a corporation any less modern than one who chooses Western attire and consuming alcohol while working as someone’s secretary? It is this strange correlation that contunues to elude me.
it’s not a question of who’s more modern or indian than who. they’re trying to tell us they represent real india. pub-going women are as “indian” as these culture police. no one claims that going to pubs is the epitome of modernity. it’s just the question of some people minding their own business while others don’t under the guise of telling everyone else what is “indian” and what is not. they don’t have the authority to legislate that. the saree wearing woman does so by choice. others should have the same choice to wear what they want to. assaulting and molesting women just because they go to a place of their choice is criminal, not merely “misguided”. –Bee
I live in America and I don’t like going to pubs, but I would hate it if someone said that I shouldn’t. It is not visiting pubs that is the issue, the issue is one of freedom of expression “within the law”. This kind of behavior is like the Taliban. And why is it that only women are targeted? What about pub going men? That I guess is OK by these people and their supporters. –Jai
I knew I could count on you to write about the Ram Sena. I’ve been so frustrated that I could not be at a pub in B’lore now. A big boo to men like them!
Love your posts Bee, keep them coming..
Yes – that is precisely the point – to have control on women. Apparently, that Muthalik chap thinks that men can go to pubs…but women, if they want to drink, should do so at home!
I don’t know what the best way to deal with these zealots is – they are really enjoying the media focus. Suddenly we all know they exist. You should have seen their beaming faces posing/displaying the pink chaddis they received!! And don’t forget, they did all that hooliganism with a camera person along…no channel should have broadcast that or shown any of them…
Nariyal Paani and Hajmola?! That totally cracked me up. Lovely looking bread. Lovely looking blog.
– a loose, forward, pub-going, modern, vegetarian, Hindu, liberal, alcohol-drinking, large-corporation-running woman!
The site is looking great! I had some inital problems, using chrome, the page wouldnt load at all, but it seems to be fine now.
Amazing new look to the blog. Well done Jai and Bee.
I can’t stop thinking of the plight of women in Shri Ram Sena memebers’ families. If these men don’t have any problem hitting/attacking totally unrelated women, I guess their wives and daughters would be expected to get permission even to use the restroom in their house.
Hi guys..your blog is an absolute favorite of mine. Always manages to insipire me to try something different (I am also very fond of picking up weird stuff and then figuring out what to do with it- my kids wish they could magically prevent me from reading ingredient and nutrition labels, and not have to eat “healthy food” all the time)
You guys are inspiring, funny, insightful, serious, irreverent, passionate and fun all at once. And great photographers too.
Always been too rushed (too lazy?) to leave a comment till I saw Gaurav’s name on the blog today. It is a small world indeed. Gaurav is a fellow alumni from my MBA school(fondly called Insti) in Bombay, and I have been following the amazing work his classmates have done to help him- first through the Alumni network, then other networks and now the blogospheres. Hopefully, with help from bloggers like you, and the resourcefulness of friends, Gaurav will get a match soon, and will have the funds to get his operation done. Thanks for all the great work you are doing, Jai and Bee. It is truly wonderful.
Love the new look – its awesome and very very fresh on the eyes. Just one thing, I use Mozilla and have a TUBE not the usual broadband connection at work, so my speed is lightning fast – but your site is now taking approx 45 sec more to load than usual – I know, I know, some people cannot be satisfied
The bread looks wonderful and holey…with a beautiful crust!
Miri
[...] Bee and Jai, of Jugalbandi, have submitted a Rye-Buttermilk Bread with Fennel Seeds. [...]
[...] Bee and Jai, of Jugalbandi, have submitted a Rye-Buttermilk Bread with Fennel Seeds. [...]