First and foremost, I need to give a big shout-out to Neysa over at The Back Burner {Key Ingredient} who not only ever-so graciously asked to do a Featured Foodie interview on me but wrote THE kindest introduction. I am not even sure if she really is talking about me {the girl in the intro sounds way cooler} but I was just floored by it! Please support both of these wonderful sites and check it out. You don’t even have to read my blabbering, just make it a point to visit Key Ingredient and browse around.

Richa. Queen of all things Indian. And everything else. This girl is pure wonderful. Her abilities in the kitchen blows me away–her talent and love for making food makes it appear effortless and easy. The girl is not gluten free but has dove right into {and dare I say perfected} the art of gluten free bread making! See what I mean? Amazing. She has become a friend I truly love hearing from on a daily basis and you should make it a point to visit Hobby and More and become a friend of her’s as well. 


Look who is taking over Cara’s space today! Thank you Super Amazing Woman, for this Friday Guest host Series. 

Hmm , so I dont actually remember when I discovered the fork. It was sometime during MOFO October. That was one crazy month, with trying to post every day and then 20 days of the month, my parents were visiting. Try telling my Dad that I have to get online for a few minutes and post something on the blog. I got back to finding all the cool Mofo blogs sometime in November and wow, did I miss all the Halloween fun, right here at Ms Beans!

I am usually a very contained person.. but for some reason, Cara’s hyper fun energy rubs off on me once in a while.. lets see.. rubs off = blasts itself through all my neurons… and then you can see me jumping up and down. Ask hubbs how rarely that used to happen BC(before Cara)..:) Another thing that rubbed off, was her never say never attitude to recreating and creating things so you dont have to miss out on anything you love! That got me into trying my hand at glutenfree yeast breads. 




I didn’t know if I should make an Indian dish for the guest post or a bread.. It was a tough choice.. but here we are with a bread. I have been experimenting with gf yeast breads and experimenting with different baking/cooking methods too keep them soft and as close to a with gluten bread as possible. You can find all experiments and cooking methods ‘that worked’ on my gf yeast Breads collection here.

I bake a lot of regular with gluten Breads too. See the Vegan Yeast Breads Collection here.


What I have found works best for gf breads is Steaming or keeping steam somewhere in the picture during baking. I am sure there are some amazing baked gf breads out there. But for me, the baked versions felt dryer and more crumbly than the steamed versions. Steaming also helps cut down on the starch and eliminates the need for gum.

This Focaccia is baked. If you like a chewier Focaccia, steam this one for the 20 minutes and then bake for the next 12-15. See GF Sandwich bread or GF Naan to see the texture of a steamed gf bread.

For variations, Top the focaccia with Caramelized onions, Roasted garlic, olives or make your fave pizza.

(dough before first rise)


(Dough after first rise)

Ingredients: Makes a 9 by 5 inch by 1.5 inch high loaf.

  • 7 Tablespoons gf Oats, ground fine( a bit less than 1/2 cup)
  • 1/4 cup brown rice flour
  • 4.5 Tablespoons potato starch
  • 1.5 Tablespoons tapioca starch
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 Tablespoons non dairy Yogurt(I used SoDelicious plain coconut milk yogurt)
  • 2 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon active dry yeast (I used red star)
  • 1 teaspoon raw sugar
  • 1/3 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic(roasted or raw, I added roasted)
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried basil or rosemary

To add on top
  • 1-2 teaspoons evoo
  • 1/4 teaspoon herbs of choice
  • Thin zucchini slices
  • granulated salt( sea salt or kosher)
Method:
  1. In a bowl. add warm water, yeast and sugar, Mix well and let sit until frothy(10 minutes)
  2. In another bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients well.
  3. Add the dry ingredients, yogurt and oil into the yeast mixture and mix for 2 minutes until a slightly stiff battery dough is formed. See picture.
  4. Cover the bowl and let sit in a warm place for 1.5 hours or until doubled.
  5. Mix the batter with a spoon and if too wet, add a teaspoon or so Oats flour. The mixture after the first rise, will be like a sticky dough.(The dough should not be a flowy cake batter or a stiff bread dough. Anything in between and it should bake fine.)
  6. Drop this dough into a parchment lined pan. Oil your hands and pat it down to the required thickness.
  7. Cover and let rise for 35-40 minutes in a warm place.
  8. Make some dimples on the dough lightly(you can skip the dimples since the dough is sticky and will collapse completely under too much pressure. just make a few dents with an oiled finger if possible)
  9. Drizzle EVOO on the dimples or just generally on the top.
  10. Sprinkle dried herbs of choice, black pepper and salt. Place some zucchini slices(optional)
  11. Spray water on top. Cover the pan with aluminium foil. Make 1 or 2 holes in the foil, to let excess steam escape.
  12. (If using bread pan like me, double it up to reduce browning of the crust). Or use ceramic/stoneware for less browning.
  13. Bake at 390 degrees F for 20 minutes.
  14. Remove foil, remove doubled pan if using and rotate the bread.
  15. Bake for another 12-15 minutes until required crust color is achieved.
  16. Take bread out carefully and let cool for 10 minutes.
  17. Best served warm. Re warm in the oven or in toaster.

If I may entice you with some Indian food.. Curries and Dry veggie subzi(veggies saute) to dunk the bread into, can be found on the Picture Collection on my Facebook Page here. 

Some gf breads.

White Oat Loaf.