Ingredients:

refined flour (maida) 2½ cups

whole wheat flour (atta) 1½ cups

fresh yeast 13 grams

sugar 1 tablespoon

salt 1½ teaspoons

garlic cloves, chopped 2-3

spring onions with greens, chopped 2

coriander leaves, chopped 2 tablespoons

black peppercorns, crushed 3-4

butter 15 grams

METHOD:

1. Combine yeast with sugar and one fourth cup lukewarm water, stir and set aside for ten to fifteen minutes to froth.

2. Sift and combine flours and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast mixture and approximately one and a half cups of water and mix into a rough dough.

3. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Return to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth and leave until doubled in volume, for about two hours.

4. When the dough has risen knock back and add garlic, spring onions with greens, black peppercorns and knead.

5. Divide the dough into two portions and roll each portion into a cylinder. Entangle the two cylinders to form a spiral. Cover and set aside to prove till it doubles in volume.

6. Meanwhile preheat oven to 200°C/ 400°F/ Gas Mark 6. Grease a baking tray.

7. Place the bread on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for forty five minutes.

8. Once done remove from the oven and brush with melted butter. Leave it on a wire rack to cool.

9. Slice and serve.

Yield: 800 grams

Note: Yeast is a living organism and if hot milk is added to dissolve it, it gets killed and no raising action can then happen. It is best to use lukewarm milk!

Note: To knock back dough you simply punch the risen dough down with the back of your hand. The rise will collapse, flattening the large spaces previously filled with the aerating gases that will escape. You can then shape the dough into whatever shape you wish to bake the bread in and let it rise again. Second time round the dough will rise quicker than the first time and will produce a well-proved dough, resulting in loaves of even texture and a sweet mature flavour.

Preparation time: 2 hours 25 mins

Baking time: 45 mins