Seeded Bread

When I first began baking bread, it was stressful and always seemed to take a long time. After a while, it is easy.
I make the dough for this bread once a week and split it into two, baking one and keeping the other in a plastic bag in the fridge. This makes a fresh loaf twice a week. I've experimented with the recipe quite a bit and finally have it down.

Active time is about 45 minutes for the initial dough and 5-10 minutes to prepare each loaf for baking. Allow about 3 hrs from start to finish.

Ingredients:
8 cups of flour (at least half white but no more than 3/4 white)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 packets yeast
White pepper
Coarse-grained salt
Seeds (sesame, poppy, sunflower, fennel, etc.)
Sugar/water solution

Mix the flour, sugar, salt, yeast, and white pepper (to taste) in a large bowl.
Make a hole in the center of the mix and gradually pour water in and mix until dough is elastic. It usually takes about 2 1/4 cups of water. If dough is to sticky/stiff add more flour/water.
Knead the dough until a thin area pulled apart is translucent ("windowpane test").
I like to knead it while reading. It is a good workout for the arms, too.
Knead seeds into dough.
Put olive oil on it and cover with plastic wrap or a floured towel and let rise 45 minutes or until doubled in size.

Divide the dough in half and put one half in a plastic bag in the fridge for later.

To prepare each loaf:

Preheat oven to 475.
If from the fridge, take it out the night before so it won't be cold.
Knead the oil into the dough and form into a round or loaf.
Cut slits in the top and prepare sugar solution (about 1/4 cup of warm water and some sugar).
Top with seeds and coarse salt.
Brush on sugar solution to make seeds and salt stick to the loaf.
Put it in a cast-iron pan and allow to rise for about a half hour-45 mins.
Bake for 25-35 minutes or until the seeds look well-cooked and the crust is dark brown.

Put on a wire rack to cool.

Ethiopian Vegetarian Combination

For much of 2010, we lived on Ethiopian/Eritrean food. The neighborhood has many immigrants from the area, and ingredients, plus a constant supply of fresh Injera at both the liquor store and the produce store, are always in steady supply. Recipes are based on three from "Exotic Ethiopian Cooking" by Daniel Jote Mesfin (available at U&I liquors on Telegraph & 49th in Oakland).

My favorite dish is the Vegetarian Combination, and I made the three primary elements along with a salad:
-Greens
-Dark red lentil sauce
-Yellow lentil sauce (actually made with red lentils)

Ingredients:
-Greens(1-2 bunches)
-Red lentils (4 cups)
-Garlic (about half a head)
-Ginger (a large arm)
-Onion (6 cups)
-Berbere (1/2-1 cup depending on spiciness level)
-3-4 Serrano or Jalapeno chiles

A lot of vegetable oil
A pinch of black cumin
Salt and pepper
Lettuce (romaine), tomato, lemon, and olive oil for the salad
Injera

Prep:
For each of the three sauces, chop 2 cups of onion and a tablespoon or two of garlic and ginger.
Set aside 2 cups of lentils for each lentil dish, and a bunch or two of finely chopped greens (chard, collards, kale, etc) for the greens dish. Then slice lengthwise a few jalapeno or serrano chiles for the yellowish dish.

When you are ready to cook, set three pots on burners: one with about 2 cups of boiling water and two with onion and oil. The recipe books use a lot of oil, and the richer the desired outcome, the more oil one can use. The least amount: cover bottom of pan. The most amount: one cup (recommended by recipes). Cook onions until clear, adding water to prevent sticking or burning especially if you aren't using as much oil.

-When the water boils, add the greens, garlic, ginger, and up to 1 cup of oil.
-When the onions are clear, add the lentils, garlic, ginger, berbere, black cumin, and a few cups of water to one pot for the dark red sauce.
-When the onions are clear, add the lentils, garlic, ginger, sliced hot chiles, a little black pepper, and a few cups of water to the other for the yellowish sauce.


Bring lentil dishes to a boil, simmer, add water as needed, and stir occasionally as needed to the lentil dishes. They will take about 30 minutes to cook through. Cook greens until very dark and well cooked. Salt everything to taste.

Arrange the three dishes on plates of injera.

Chop tomato into cubes and place on bed of romaine lettuce on the injera next to the sauces. Add lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper for the dressing. Heat up remaining injera and fold to serve on the side. Serve with light/amber beer, stout beer, and/or guava juice.

Total preparation time is about 1.5-2 hours the first time you try it and 1 hour once you become more experienced. It lasts exactly one week in the fridge, and gives about 6-8 full portions. Do NOT let it sit in the fridge for longer than exactly seven days.

Tips:
-Washing and chopping the greens, garlic, ginger and chiles can be done while the onions are getting clear or the water is boiling. If it's your first time, it's easier to prep everything first to avoid burning the onions.
-Immediately freeze the injera you don't use the first or second meal. It's usually sold in large rounds and I cut them into quarters for easier single servings before freezing.