STEAMED SPINACH BREAD (UJEQE)
“Now that I have warmed up to spinach, I find that it actually adds depth to the flavour of a whole range of dishes. This recipe has its origin in the fact that I wanted to add an interesting twist to our conventional steamed bread. It proved to be such a hit, not only with my friends but also on social media, that some people now consider this recipe ‘a national treasure’ – I loved this response!”
Makes 1 medium loaf to serve 4 EASY
GREAT VALUE
Preparation: 20 minutes, plus 30 minutes’ standing time Cooking: 1 hour
flour 360 g dry yeast 1 x 10 g sachet salt a pinch sugar a pinch warm water ½ cup warm milk ½ cup large free-range egg 1 vegetable oil 2T baby spinach 500 g, chopped
1 Mix all the dry ingredients, then add the wet ingredients and spinach to form a dough. 2 You can knead the dough with your hands, but I prefer to use an electric mixer. 3 When all the ingredients are thoroughly combined, transfer the dough onto a dry surface and knead it into a small ball. The dough will be sticky.
4 Place the dough in a large, greased bowl and cover with clingwrap. Allow to stand in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes, or until it has tripled in volume. 5 Oil a medium-sized metal bowl. 6 Boil 1 litre water in a large saucepan. Knock down the dough and place it in the metal bowl over the saucepan. 7 Cover with the lid and cook over low heat for 1 hour, or until a knife comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the bread. 8 Serve with any protein of your choice – I love it with oxtail.