Return from Coorg

Just came back from Coorg yesterday. Had the most wonderful holiday in a long time. Stayed with friends in the estate in a 250 year old house. The room overlooked the hibiscus garden of all possible colours and the paddy fields just beyond. Arnav enjoyed playing in the mud outside and in the coffee drying yard.

We had left for Coorg armed with yeast to bake some bread in the makeshift oven formed next to the hearth over which the milk and water are boiled every morning. By popular demand it was whole wheat and onion bread.

Knowing fully well that I would not be able to get up at 4 in the morning, I started on the process the previous night and got the first rise by 10:30. Kept it in the mould which was actually an aluminium tin-anything that would fit into the hole in the hearth, for the second rise and left it overnight in the refrigerator. The search for the perfect container is another story that had taken place the previous year. Luckily Muthu Aunty remembered to keep the tin a place which she easily could place. The next morning, it had risen to a little more than double its size and was ready for the hearth oven. Kept it in the oven and kept turning the tin every 12-15 mins, which was actually a waste of exercise since the oven was evenly heated inspite of the firewood burning on one side only. Well... the result was a well baked, slightly dense whole wheat onion bread. Could have been made a little lighter by adding a little cream to the dough, but there's always the next year.

More about the fantastic vegetarian food by Muthu Aunty to follow. I am sure her meats are as delicious, but her vegetarian sure would give it a run for its money.