For November’s We Knead to Bake, we baked “Sheermal” that is a saffron-flavored slightly sweet traditional leavened flatbread. This is one of the easy breads out there and for a change it uses ghee rather than butter. Ghee gives a rich flavor and a wonderful fragrance to the bread.
Sheermal felt like a thicker, fluffier version of the naan bread and the saffron added a lovely yellow color to it. The bread is usually eaten with tea during breakfast or with a side dish as part of a meal. Well, the bread did not stay long enough for me to make tea or a spicy side dish and it was gobbled up pretty quick. You can omit the egg in the dough, but do not skimp on the final brushing with ghee/butter as the glistening finish on the flatbread is the hallmark of a good Sheermal. Off to the recipe.
Sheermal / Shirmal (Saffron Flavoured Flatbread)
Saffron flavored flat bread.
Ingredients:
- For Dough
- yeast - 1 tsp
- sugar - 2 tsp
- water - 1/4 cup - lukewarm
- bread flour - 2 1/4 cups
- salt - 3/4 tsp
- egg - 1 - lightly beaten
- ghee - 1/4 cup
Homemade ghee can be made following this link
- milk - 1/2 cup (plus more as needed for kneading)
- rose water - 1 tsp (or kewra water)
- For Brushing on Top
- saffron - few strands soaked in 2 tbsp warm milk
- butter - as needed - melted, for brushing
Instructions:
If using active dry yeast, proof using sugar and lukewarm water.
Using ingredients for dough, make a soft and pliable dough. Allow to rise until doubled. It takes an hour or two to double. Punch it down and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
Soak saffron in warm milk. Divide dough into 4 pieces. Roll or pat each piece into a circle about 4 inches in diameter and about 1/8th inch thick.
Brush the saffron milk generously over the sheermal. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 10 - 15 minutes until they turn a lovely golden brown.
Remove from oven and brush with butter.
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Pictorial
1. If using active dry yeast, proof using sugar and lukewarm water.
Using ingredients for dough, make a soft and pliable dough. Allow to rise until doubled. It takes an hour or two to double.
2. Dough doubled and ready. Punch it down and allow to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Divide into 4 pieces.
4. Roll or pat each piece into a circle about 4 inches in diameter and about 1/8th inch thick.
5. Saffron soaked in milk.
6. Brush the saffron milk generously over the sheermal. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 10 - 15 minutes until they turn a lovely golden brown.
7. Out of the oven. Brush generously with butter.
Sheermal ready.
Enjoy!Linking to We Knead to Bake and Bake Fest #38 hosted here.
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