This bread is the perfect balance of spiced curry and lightly sweetened bread. It is delicious right out of the oven with butter or toasted. Just try holding yourself to one slice! The recipe can be made with honey for a slightly sweeter version or apple sauce if you want it sugar-free.
On the Ingredients
- Curry powder, it may surprise you to learn, is not an Indian invention, but a British one. When the British Empire ruled over India, curry dishes were in vogue back home. Indian curries are made with a variety of spice blends and vary depending on the dish and the region that they are from. When the British wanted to cook themselves curries at home, they were often at a loss for how to do it right. Legend has it that a botched attempt at curry brought us Worcestershire sauce. Finally, a mix of spices became available to the British public commercially. That spice is still used widely in the West today. Though it might be a western take on India’s authentic mixes, it’s still very tasty.
Recipe Notes and Substitutions
You can make this bread vegan by using oil or vegan butter and apple sauce. For the buttermilk, mix a tsp of apple cider vinegar with 1 cup of your choice of plant-based milk. The bread can be brushed with plant-based milk instead of egg wash.
Curry Bread
2
loaves30
minutes45
minutes2
hours45
minutes4
hoursThis bread is the perfect balance of spiced curry and lightly sweetened bread. It is delicious right out of the oven with butter or toasted. Just try holding yourself to one slice! The recipe can be made with honey for a slightly sweeter version or apple sauce if you want it sugar-free.
Ingredients
1/4 cup warm water
1 1/2 tbsp active dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp curry powder
1/4 cup honey or 1/3 cup apple sauce for sugar-free
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp salt
2-3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1 egg
Directions
- Put the yeast in the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes.
- Melt the butter and add it to the honey or apple sauce, along with the curry powder. Mix well. Combine the flour and salt. Add the honey or apple sauce mixture, yeast, and buttermilk.
- You can use a stand mixer with a bread hook attachment or mix by hand. You may have to add more flour if the dough is too wet. Knead the dough until it is shiny and elastic.
- Put it in a greased bowl, covered with a damp cloth, and let it rise until it has doubled in size (1-2 hours).
- Punch the dough down and put it onto a floured surface. Divide it into six equal pieces. Make each piece into a rope about six inches long. Braid three ropes together to make one loaf, repeat with the other.
- Grease two bread pans and put the loaves in, cover with a damp towel and allow to double in size (about 45 minutes).
- Heat the oven to 350° F.
- Beat the egg and brush the tops of the loaves. Sprinkle the almonds over them.
- Bake for 30-45 minutes until the bread sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. You may need to shield the top with tin foil so the almonds don’t burn.
- Best served fresh out of the oven or toasted with plenty of butter.
