AI-generated image
Balochi kaak
Smoky wholewheat bread
بلوچی کاک (Balochi kaak): thick, smoky wholewheat bread, traditionally baked wrapped around a fire-hot stone
Out in the hills of Balochistan, from Kalat to the passes above Quetta, kaak is shepherds' and travellers' bread: dough wrapped around a smooth river stone that has been heated in the fire, then propped among the embers until a thick, smoky crust forms and the stone cooks it from inside too. It is served torn into chunks alongside sajji, the slow-roasted lamb of Balochi feasts, or with yogurt and tea on the road. This version is for a home oven: the dough is shaped into a thick round and baked on a very hot tray or stone, then finished over a flame for that charred, campfire taste. Under-heating is the main pitfall, giving a pale, heavy loaf. Chef's tip: preheat the tray in the oven for a full 30 minutes. If you try the stone method outdoors, use only dense, dry stones never taken from water, as wet or porous stones can crack violently when heated.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the dough
- 1 ⅛ lb wholewheat flour (atta)plus extra for dusting
- 1 /2 tsp instant dried yeast
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups lukewarm waterapproximately
- 1 tsp vegetable oil
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb wholewheat flour (atta), 1 /2 tsp instant dried yeast and 1 ½ tsp salt, then add 1 ½ cups lukewarm water gradually and knead for about 8 minutes to a soft, slightly tacky dough that springs back slowly when pressed.
5 minStep 2: Rub the dough with 1 tsp vegetable oil, cover and leave in a warm place for about 40 minutes until slightly puffy (it will not double).
40 minStep 3: Meanwhile, heat the oven to 475°F with a heavy baking tray or baking stone inside for at least 30 minutes.
30 minStep 4: Divide the dough into 2 and pat each piece on a floured surface into a thick round about 18 cm across and 2 cm thick; press deep dimples all over with your fingertips.
3 minStep 5: Slide the rounds onto the hot tray and bake for 20–22 minutes until well browned and they sound hollow when tapped underneath.
22 minStep 6: For a smoky finish, hold each bread with tongs over a gas flame or under a very hot grill for 1–2 minutes per side until charred in spots.
3 minStep 7: Wrap in a clean cloth for 5 minutes to soften the crust slightly, then tear and serve warm.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 84 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does balochi kaak take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
ChipaCheese bread rings
In Paraguay you hear 'chipa, chipa!' called by vendors with big baskets on buses and street corners, and every family bakes it for Holy Week, when chipa is the food of Good Friday. Cassava starch, a little cornmeal, butter, eggs and a lot of hard cheese are kneaded into a dough scented with aniseed, shaped into rings or small rolls and baked in a hot oven, traditionally a domed clay tatakua. It's chewy, crisp outside and best warm with cocido (toasted yerba tea). Chef's tip: the dough should feel soft and slightly greasy; add milk a spoon at a time, as too much makes the chipa spread flat.
Paraguayan
Farari uttapamSamo and water-chestnut pancakes
Soft, thick uttapam for fasting days, made from a yogurt batter of samo (moraiyo), singoda (water chestnut) flour and rajagra (amaranth) flour, tempered with cumin and curry leaves and studded with cucumber, tomato, coconut and green chilli. Cooked under a lid, they're crisp at the edges and fluffy in the middle. Serve with yogurt and green chutney. Makes 6.
Indian
Brown soup rolls
Small, soft bread rolls made with half plain and half wholemeal flour, shaped long and baked until golden. They're best warm from the oven with a bowl of soup, and freeze well once cooled.