Braided Beet Swirl Bread (Vegan)

Our pathways are littered with leaves of various shapes and hues. It is late spring and the trees are shedding leaves. A gust of wind blows and there is a shower of mottled brown and yellow leaves. Massive magnolia leaves waft rhythmically till they meet the ground while Ashoka leaves come trilling from higher branches. Jamun leaves rock and sway in the gentle wind. More and more leaves keep piling up, making the walkways cushiony. The leaves rustle and crackle and crush as we walk on them. Ultimately, each will become one  with  the Earth, enriching it.

Early in the morning we heard a Bush Chat. Soon we spotted it. It looked at us curiously and carried on with its high notes.

Yesterday, I baked a bread with beets. The colours came out brilliant, celebrating the spirit of spring.

Braided Beet Swirl Bread

Ingredients

Beet Dough

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast

¾ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ tablespoon sugar

½ cup beet puree (boiled and pureed beets).

Method

Whisk together first four ingredients. Add sugar to beet puree and mix till sugar dissolves.

Add this to flour mix. Knead till the dough comes together. Add some warm water if it feels dry. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes till soft and elastic. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Turn around the dough so that it is coated with oil.   Cover and keep in a warm place till it becomes double in size.

Plain Dough

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ teaspoon instant dry yeast

½ teaspoon salt

½ tablespoon olive oil

½ tablespoon sugar

½ cup warm water

Method

Whisk together first four ingredients. Add sugar to water and mix till sugar dissolves.

Add this to flour mix. Knead till the dough comes together. Add some warm water if it feels dry. Knead for 6 to 8 minutes till soft and elastic. Transfer dough to an oiled bowl. Turn around the dough so that it is coated with oil.   Cover and keep in a warm place till it becomes double in size.

Shaping the braided loaf

Punch plain dough and knead for 2 minutes. Roll it into a rope about 13 cm long.

Punch beet dough and knead for 2 minutes. With a sharp knife, cut dough into two equal parts.

Roll each part into two 13 cm long ropes.

Keep the three ropes together. Bring the ends together, pinch and tuck in. Now braid the ropes tightly. Pinch the ends and tuck in. Grease one 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Place the braid in the pan. Cover and keep in a warm place for one hour or till it doubles in size.

Bake in a preheated oven at 190 degrees C for 35 – 40 minutes or till the loaf turns golden from top and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. Tent with a foil if the top turns brown early. Remove from oven. Remove from pan after 5 to 7 minutes.

Cool in the rack. Slice when cold or next day.