A popular Goan leavened bread prepared from wheat flour and bran to increase its nutritional value. Due to health reasons, the demand for poee is high and those suffering from diabetes are known to consume poee on a daily basis. Often sold out hence, bakers are informed in advance of the required quantity so that consumers don't miss out on their favourite bread.
Referred to as a Goan pita, cuniachi poee or bakri, it has a hollow cavity in the centre. The dough is prepared with a mixture of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, doubled in size, deflated and then flattened into 5-inch rounds with 1/4-inch thickness by dusting and rolling each ball in bran. Allowed to rise for 30 to 40 minutes and then, baked at a high temperature of 425 F or 218 C that causes the poee to puff up and create a pocket. Tasty and nutritious, it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A perfect accompaniment for dry or gravy savoury dishes. Also, ideal to stuff sausages or your favourite foods.
Gluten is the stretchy, sticky protein that is formed when flour and water is mixed together. It gives structure to yeast-raised doughs. The germ and bran in whole wheat flour inhibits gluten development. Hence, all-purpose flour is used in combination with whole wheat flour to achieve soft, puffed-up poee. Alternatively, vital wheat gluten can be used in combination with whole wheat flour to enhance its elasticity thereby omitting the addition of all-purpose flour for totally healthy poee. For a softer texture, oil can be added to the dough preventing the poee from drying out and getting stale.
Referred to as a Goan pita, cuniachi poee or bakri, it has a hollow cavity in the centre. The dough is prepared with a mixture of all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour, doubled in size, deflated and then flattened into 5-inch rounds with 1/4-inch thickness by dusting and rolling each ball in bran. Allowed to rise for 30 to 40 minutes and then, baked at a high temperature of 425 F or 218 C that causes the poee to puff up and create a pocket. Tasty and nutritious, it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A perfect accompaniment for dry or gravy savoury dishes. Also, ideal to stuff sausages or your favourite foods.
Gluten is the stretchy, sticky protein that is formed when flour and water is mixed together. It gives structure to yeast-raised doughs. The germ and bran in whole wheat flour inhibits gluten development. Hence, all-purpose flour is used in combination with whole wheat flour to achieve soft, puffed-up poee. Alternatively, vital wheat gluten can be used in combination with whole wheat flour to enhance its elasticity thereby omitting the addition of all-purpose flour for totally healthy poee. For a softer texture, oil can be added to the dough preventing the poee from drying out and getting stale.
Goan Poee or Poi
(Yields 10)
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour or maida
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup bran (for dusting while rolling)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (7 grams or 1 sachet)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Method:
Add the yeast to 1/4 cup lukewarm water along with sugar and set aside for 5 minutes to foam and froth.
Note: The water should be slightly warm to the touch not hot.
To the yeast mixture, stir in the white flour, whole wheat flour, balance 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water and salt. Knead well into a soft, smooth dough. It should spring back when pressed with two fingers.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Once risen, punch the dough down to deflate the air. Divide into 10 equal smooth balls with no seams. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Spread some bran on a work surface and roll each ball into a 5-inch circle.
Place circles in two baking trays dusted with some flour or lined with parchment paper/silpat. Cover trays and let discs rise for 30 to 40 minutes in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 425 F or 218 C.
Remove the middle and top racks from the oven leaving the bottom one.
Bake each tray at a time placing them on the bottom rack of the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until poee puffed up and pale golden.
Note: Do not bake for too long or poee will crisp up.
Alternatively, preheat a pizza stone or tray in the oven. Once hot, slide the parchment paper with the poee onto the stone or tray. Bake as above.
Note: Better to gently slide them with the parchment paper rather than transfer individually with the hand as they tend to deflate.
Cool poee on a rack for a few minutes. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep them soft.
Note:
(Yields 10)
Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour or maida
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup bran (for dusting while rolling)
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (7 grams or 1 sachet)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 cups lukewarm water
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Method:
Add the yeast to 1/4 cup lukewarm water along with sugar and set aside for 5 minutes to foam and froth.
Note: The water should be slightly warm to the touch not hot.
To the yeast mixture, stir in the white flour, whole wheat flour, balance 1 3/4 cups lukewarm water and salt. Knead well into a soft, smooth dough. It should spring back when pressed with two fingers.
Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Once risen, punch the dough down to deflate the air. Divide into 10 equal smooth balls with no seams. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes.
Spread some bran on a work surface and roll each ball into a 5-inch circle.
Place circles in two baking trays dusted with some flour or lined with parchment paper/silpat. Cover trays and let discs rise for 30 to 40 minutes in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 425 F or 218 C.
Remove the middle and top racks from the oven leaving the bottom one.
Bake each tray at a time placing them on the bottom rack of the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until poee puffed up and pale golden.
Note: Do not bake for too long or poee will crisp up.
Alternatively, preheat a pizza stone or tray in the oven. Once hot, slide the parchment paper with the poee onto the stone or tray. Bake as above.
Note: Better to gently slide them with the parchment paper rather than transfer individually with the hand as they tend to deflate.
Cool poee on a rack for a few minutes. Wrap in a kitchen towel to keep them soft.
Note:
- To achieve 1/4 cup bran, sieve 2 cups whole wheat flour. The bran collected in the sieve can be used to dust and roll each dough ball.
- For a softer texture, 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil can be used while kneading. Reduce the amount of water accordingly.
- Whole wheat poee without all-purpose flour can be prepared with the addition of vital wheat gluten. Use 1 1/2 teaspoons vital wheat gluten for every 1 cup of whole wheat flour. It is added to low gluten flour like wheat flour to enhance the bread volume and improve elasticity.
- Vital wheat gluten is available at Bulk Barn, Canada.
