This recipe makes a most delicious bread as a vehicle for anything. Cheese (if you are not vegan), avocado (if you are), a smear of salmon spread (if you are Alaska-tarian). I bake loaves and shove in my freezer so I can have toast Tuesday or Thursday on tired T days. I owe my inspiration for so many of my baked goods to the glorious Vegan Richa. Her recipes for cookies, cakes, and baked goods overall helped me gain my skills as a baker working with allergies. Please check out her website and the way she uses lentils to create everything from savory flatbreads to tortilla to loaf cakes to loaves of bread, to simple and delicious dal. She is an inspiration for me, as someone also wrestling with chronic illness.
Ingredients:
3 cups urad dal
6 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons lime juice
6 tablespoons garbanzo fava flour (or any gluten free flour)
1/4 tsp psyllium husk powder (optional)
2 teaspoons ground mahlab (optional)
12 strands saffron (optional)
3 teaspoons corn-free baking powder (optional, adds loft)
Method:
Soak urad dal overnight fully covered under water. Drain and rinse.
In a cuisinart, process the dal with the water, salt, lime for 4 minutes or so until very smooth (you may need to divide into two batches for smaller food processors). Add in flour, psyllium, mahlab. saffron, or other spices. Process for at least another 4 minutes until lofted, fluffy, and smooth. The batter will be very thick.
Put in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Ferment for 3 days in the fridge. 6 hours before baking remove, keeping cling wrap on.
Preheat oven to 400F. Prep a loaf pan by lining by parchment. Meanwhile, mix in baking powder to batter.
Let batter rest for 20 minutes. Put batter into pan evenly. Smooth the top with a wet spatula or hand.
Put loaf into oven covered with parchment and bake for 35 minutes. Turn temperature to 375 and cook for another 30 minutes, removing parchment in last 10 minutes.
The loaf should sound hollow with tapped when done and be deeply browned.
Remove and let cool completely. Overnight also works to let the crust soften somewhat. Slice with a bread knife.
Freezes well and toasts excellently