Gurung bread, honey, Himalayan salt.
Our new favourite breakfast, this. The women at the Lwang Village Homestay introduced us to Gurung bread and we were instantly addicted to the great golden puffs of fried dough, drizzled in Nepalese honey and sprinkled with salt. Based on the traditional Indian puri, these have sugar added to the dough and a knife is used to slash the rounds, creating their distinctive shape and earning them the ‘Gurung’ family name.
These are best eaten on a bench in the sun, with a cup of tea and a view of the Himalayas. Failing that, curled up in a warm house on a rainy day would work just as well.
Recipe
Gurung bread
Serves 4 hungry people
Ingredients
- Plain flour 1 kilo
- Water
- Baking powder 1.5 teaspoons
- Sugar a tablespoon
- Vegetable oil enough to fry and extra to lubricate
- Honey the runny type
- Himalayan salt a small bowlful
Method
By hand, mix together the flour, baking powder, sugar and a good pinch of salt.
Bring it all together mixing gradually with water until you have a soft dough. Knead briefly, work into a ball and leave for 20 minutes.
Heat most of the oil in a deep frying pan until bubbling.
Take the rested dough, then roll into balls a little larger than a golf ball. Rub a little of the remainingoil around each ball to stop them sticking.
Use a rolling pin to flatten each one to a thickness of about 2/3 millimetres.
Use a knife to slash two lines in each round.
Carefully, lower the dough into the hot oil. These will only take ten seconds or so on each side, so cook them one by one and pay attention. When they are golden and puffed up, they’re done.
Drain the Gurung breads on kitchen towel.
Serve warm with a pot of honey for drizzling and a bowl of salt for sprinkling.
