Recipe: Indian Flat Bread

Indian Flat Bread
rec.backcountry/Arthur Jacquard (1996)

This is a recipe that I got from the " New York Times Bread and Soup Cookbook" by Yvonne Young Tarr. I will give the basic recipe from the book then explain how it can be made in the wild using a campstove. Most of the preparation for this bread can be done at home before you set out on a trip. This is an unleavened bread, so there is no yeast involved. Here is the recipe.

5 cups all-purpose flour (white or whole wheat)
2 tablespoons of baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 cups of milk (substitute dry milk powder)
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
oil for frying the bread

This is a good amount for two people on a weekend hike. If you're hiking alone divide the recipe in half.

Home preparation

In a large bowl mix together the flour, dry milk powder, baking powder, and salt. Stir all the ingredients together making sure that the baking powder is well distributed throughout the flour. After doing this I store the flour mixture in a ziplock bag. I Use Carnation Instant milk powder and follow the directions on the back of the package to figure out how much milk powder I will need for two cups of milk. It doesn't have to be exact just close. This is all the preparation required. when you mix the dough you will only have to add water and melted butter (the butter is optional).

I"m tired and I want to eat

You will need some kind of bowl to mix the flour mixture and water. I use the cookpot from my Peak 1 kit. Whatever you decide to use make sure that you clean it out right away or it will turn rock hard overnight, forcing you to spend more time cleaning in the morning than you will want to. I scour my pot with gravel from the river bed, but it is probably a good idea to have some type of cleaning pad.

Pour the flour mixture into your mixing bowl and slowly add water to the flour and melted butter if you decided to use it, while kneading the dough. You should end up with a stiff workable dough that is not sticky. If you end up with wet sticky dough you need to add more flour. If the dough will not hold together then you need more water. If you have never made dough before you may find the process of kneading a little daunting. I would suggest trying this at home first until you get the hang of it. Doing it out in the field will then feel natural instead of disappointing.

Now that your dough is made your ready to fry some Indian flat bread. Take your dough and divide it into small balls. The size of the balls is up to you . Next take the balls and flatten them out into patties, I use the back of my pot lid to do this. Try to flatten them so that they are about 1/4 inch thick. This will make the bread cook fast and evenly. Heat up some oil in a frying pan and cook them for a few minutes on each side until they turn golden brown and puff up like pancakes. Don't try to fry bread with margarine or butter because it will burn in the frying pan.

This bread makes a wonderful addition to any outdoor meal. It's great with some butter or margarine or have it in the morning with honey and butter just like pancakes. My girlfriend likes to make small pizzas with it, just top it off with some cheese and sliced pepperoni. One more closing note. If you mix your dough and don't fry it all right away don't worry the dough will keep for a few days, just keep it out of direct sunlight. You can mix all your dough for a few meals all at once, also I like to add the optional butter I find it tastes better. Nothing beats the taste of fresh Indian flat bread after a hard days hike. I hope you enjoy it.