Tibetan Barely bread- how-to and pictures

when I was the cook at a place in the country, I made this bread for the first time. I followed the directions in the Tassajara Bread Book, which we had in the library, and made it in loaf pans, and by God, it was as dense as a keystone.

But I LOVED it. And so did some others. Sliced thin, delicious. And the flavours. The barely! Best of all, to me, was the no yeast but the wild kind. I also liked the look of the long crosses I cut in the tops, to help with the rather lengthy, natural rising, overnight -or up to 24 hours- in a gas oven. (pilot light on) This, in my mind, was REAL bread.


Will it be as good, in the city, with the "dreaded electricity"? My mother is always saying she can't cook on electric stoves, and I concur. I'm always burning something.
And where my rice WAS always perfect, at that near-mythical country place, in the city it's usually swinging one way or the other. Everything always tasted so good, from the gas stove.

Anyway, here is a recipe for the bread, and this time, it's made flattish, as it should be, apparently. Check out the round loaf and tell me that doesn't look beautiful.

With thanks to the person's place where I found this, today.

http://www.maishaverhoek.com/blogs/view/19/name_to_know_tibetan_barley_bread



Try it! If anyone doesn't get how bread can be 'the staff of life', this is the one that'll teach it. By the way, the sesame oil is key. Don't substitute. And if it's not mentioned, the barley flour should be gently roasted.
Stand over it with a wooden spoon. This is not fast food, but truly healing, nourishing food.

Kind of the 'Alabama Chanin of the (North American) bread world', if you'll pardon the couture tie-in. (I've been sewing lately, and loving it. Take a look at what that company, that community does.)

And if anyone wants to argue that AC's elitist, well, "time" is precious, is it not?

C
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