Goan Kadak Pao

This is by far the easiest recipe for Goan Kadak Pao you will get. It is easy to make and quite close to the ones we get from the bakery. There is no oil used in the dough, except the oil used to grease our palms and baking tray.

Yield: 6 to 8 Pao

Baking Time: 20 to 25 Mins.

Ingredients:

• Maida [APF] – 500 gms
• Sugar – 1 tbsp.
• Instant Yeast – 1 ½ tsp.
• Oil –1 tbsp.
• Salt – 1 tsp.

Step 1: Take 150 ml lukewarm water in a bowl (not hot, or the yeast will die). Add the 1 tbsp. of sugar and mix. Then sprinkle the yeast into the bowl. Mix lightly and cover the bowl and keep aside in a warm place till it is frothy (10 minutes or so). The mixture has to be frothy. If it is not, that means your yeast is not active and you cannot use it.

Step 2:     In a stand mixer bowl take the maida and the salt. Attach the dough hook and mix the dry ingredients for a few seconds on a low setting. While the stand mixer is still operating add the yeast mixture. Then add 200 ml luke warm water (see tip 1 below) and continue kneading at speed 2 for about 20 minutes till a soft, slightly sticky dough is formed (you can also knead by hand in a bowl and then on the platform in a stretching motion).

Step 3:     Oil your palms and take the dough out of the mixer bowl. Form a ball and transfer to a large greased bowl / vessel (see tip 2 below). Coat the top of the dough with a very little oil. Cover the dough with a wet cloth or the bowl with cling film and keep aside in a warm place for 2 hours to rise (oil applied to the dough is to prevent the wet cloth or cling film from sticking to it to some extent).

Step 4:     Apply some oil lightly to your baking tins / tray and keep ready.

Step 5:     After 2 hours the dough will have risen. Punch the dough (see tip 3 below). Grease your palms with oil and take the dough out of the bowl and transfer to a clean kitchen platform / bench. Then form a ball and divide into 6 to 8 portions (you can weigh the dough and distribute accordingly).

Step 6:     Grease your palms with oil, take a portion of the dough and tuck the edges in. Then cup your palms or use your thumb and fingers and roll into a smooth ball. Do this for all the portions and place on the tray leaving 1 inch of space in between them. Allow to proof for a second time, in a warm place, for 2 hours (if you want the pao to be a bit squarish, you can press down lightly on the dough balls at this step – see the picture of the six portion baked pao below).

Six Portions ☝️

Eight Portions ☝️

Step 7:     When ready, pre-heat your oven to 250° C for 20 to 25 minutes. Then place the tray into the oven and bake at the same temperature for 20 minutes or till well browned. Switch off the oven and open the oven door 2 to 3 inches and leave in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Six Portions after 2nd Proofing ☝️

Eight Portions after 2nd Proofing ☝️

Six Portion Kadak Pao ☝️

Eight Portion Kadak Pao ☝️

Tips:

1. Do not add the 200 ml water all at once. Add it 2 to 3 times and add the last 50 ml only if required.
2. The bowl used for the 1^st Fermentation should be about 3 times the volume of the dough.
3. You can either punch the dough with your fist in a kneading like action or you can just take the dough in your hand and drop it with a little force onto the platform a few times.
4. Baking at high temperature is essential in this recipe.
5. When you remove the bread from the oven and you feel the bread is not crisp enough (or later or the next day) you can always bake the pao for some more time to make them crisp.