Maori Bread Food

MAORI (NEW ZEALAND) FRY BREAD

Steps:

• Stir together water, yeast, sugar and 2 tablespoons flour.
• Leave to stand for 15 minutes in a warm position. At the end of 15 minutes this should have about 2 inches of froth on top.
• In a large bowl put in 8-10 cups plain flour.
• Add a pinch of salt and stir.
• Make a well in centre and add the yeast mixture. Gradually stir in flour but don't add too much flour at once - a light hand is the story.
• When the liquid has absorbed as much flour as necessary for it to be kneaded place on a floured board (in my case on1y plain paper) and knead until you can sit the dough in the palm of hand.
• Spread some plain flour on a baking board. Let this stand for 15 minutes -- this is the working time for the yeast and the dough should be nice and spongy and fluffy.
• As soon as I have let the dough stand for 15 minutes I prepare my cooking pot. Sufficient lard, dripping, cooking oil or tallow to cover at least 1/3 of cooking utensil. Heat until blue smoke rises (for us in NZ on electric store this takes 15 minutes).
• Cooking tip: If the fat does not smoke at end of 15 minutes add a wee bit of used fat -- new fat takes forever to reach the required temperature.
• Again! Don't worry overly much about the dough. If it fluffs up nice and spongy and fat is not ready to fry bread, then just knead the dough again and let stand, but perhaps for only 10 minutes this time.
• All things being equal, the dough and the fat should be ready together by this time.
• So press the dough out (add flour if the board is sticky).
• Cut into required (triangles, squares, etc) shaped, pressing to about 1/4 inch thick.
• Fry one side, then brown fry other side and there is your bread.
• Well, hope you enjoy your cooking and eating.
• Signed -- Ngati Tarwhai Cooks.

MAORI BREAD

Steps:

• Combine yeast, water and sugar in a large mixing bowl.
• Add all the flour at once.
• Mix well.
• Knead a few minutes until smooth and elastic.
• Grease a deep pot with a lid.
• Place dough in pot and cover.
• Let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Bake, covered, for 45 minutes.
• Remove lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and take bread out of pot.
• Serve hot with honey-citrus butter.

TAKAKAU (MAORI BREAD)

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 400F (200F)
• Sift flour and Baking Powder into a large bowl.
• Make a well in the center and pour in milk, combine mixture together.
• Turn out onto a floured bench and knead gently with floured hands.
• Roll to a flat round shape
• Ideally lightly flour a round pizza tray and knead dough into the tray and to the inside of the edges.
• Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until golden brown.
• Serve hot and/or allow to cool. Leftovers when cooled can be covered with a damp tea-towel and/or stored in an airtight container.

REWENA PARAOA (MAORI BREAD)

Steps:

• These instructions assume you have warm, humid, sunny weather, you will have to take the additional steps in the recipe description!
• To make Rewena starter, Peel, slice and boil potato in 1 cup of water to mashing consistency.
• Mash potato thoroughly with any remaining water in pot & set aside.
• When lukewarm add flour and sugar, mix to a fairly firm texture. Mixture should be a dough-like resemblance.
• Cover and leave in a warm place to prove/ferment, ideally outside if it is warm and humid, if not somewhere warm inside.
• It is ready when it bubbles and begins to rise. If this does not do this on the first day, feed it as with colder weather.
• Pre-heat oven to 200c.
• Grease and lightly flour 2 Baking Trays (Pizza Trays are ideal) or 2 medium size (approx 20cms in diameter) Round Baking Tins and/or Loaf Tins- set aside.
• In a large bowl sift flour and salt and make a well in the centre, pour in all of the Starter Plant and sprinkle baking soda over starter plant.
• Mix ingredients until combined adding extra water if required.
• Turn out onto floured bench and knead lightly for approximately 10 minutes.
• With the remaining dough, split in 1/2 and shape into baking tins or onto trays.
• Bake in pre-heated over for approximately 30-40 minutes or until golden.
• Turn out of trays, slice and eat hot with butter.
• Leftover Rewena is best covered with a clean damp tea-towel to maintain freshness.