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Kumoch
Ember-baked bread
Kumoch: Pamiri bread baked in the embers
TajikIn the high Pamir mountains of eastern Tajikistan, around Khorog and the Wakhan valley, kumoch is a thick, round loaf baked by burying it in the hot ashes and embers of a hearth, then brushing off the ash and wrapping it in a cloth. Pamiri families eat it with butter and shir chai, the salty milk tea of the region. At home, a heavy lidded casserole in a hot oven recreates the ember bake. A common mistake is rolling it thin; kumoch is a thick, soft bread about 4 cm high. Chef's tip: use part wholemeal flour for the nutty taste of Pamiri wheat, and bake it in a preheated pot so the base forms a good crust.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the bread
- 12 ½ oz plain flour
- 5 ½ oz wholemeal flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups warm water
- 1 oz buttermelted
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Mix 12 ½ oz plain flour, 5 ½ oz wholemeal flour, ⅛ oz fast-action dried yeast and 1 ½ tsp salt, add 1 ½ cups warm water and 1 oz butter and knead for 10 minutes. Cover and rise for 1 hour.
10 minStep 2: Heat the oven to 450°F (fan 400°F) with a heavy lidded casserole inside for 30 minutes.
Step 3: Shape the dough into a thick round loaf about 20 cm across. Rest 20 minutes.
20 minStep 4: Lower the loaf onto baking paper into the hot pot, cover and bake for 25 minutes. Uncover and bake 10–15 minutes more, until deep brown and hollow-sounding. Common mistake: a thin loaf; it dries out.
40 minStep 5: Wrap in a cloth and cool for 20 minutes before slicing.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 48 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kumoch take?
- About 70 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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