Pita Bread / Arabic Pita / Homemade Pita Bread recipe

Pita Bread is a fluffy and spongy flat bread that tastes awesome with just a hummus dip or can be used as a tortilla wrap for Falafel Sandwich, Shawarma etc. and can also be served along with your favourite curry.  Delicious and filling, this healthy, homemade, Whole-wheat Pita Bread is my recipe for this New year. Traditionally prepared in a clay oven, Pita bread is a staple of the Arabian Peninsula, known by names such as Pitta, Khubz, Khubooz, Khoubz, Shawarma Bread etc. This recipe for puffy Pita bread can be made easily at home, on stovetop; with just a skillet and roaster/ Jali.

I really love making flatbreads and baked breads at home, be it whole wheat Naan, plain rotis, Crescent rolls, Burger Buns, Garlic bread, Dinner rolls, Kulcha, stuffed parathas or this special Pita bread. Considering that traditional Pita bread is prepared with plain flour which is not deemed healthy; I experimented with whole wheat flour. However, I got the best results when I used 2:1 ratio of whole-wheat flour to Plain Flour. We used to enjoy Khubz now and then when we were in Dubai, but this was seriously delicious and fluffy. Other must try Arabic recipes are Hummus, Lebanese pickles, Falafel, Turkish Pide, sweet dumplings, Toum etc.

Enjoy Pita bread with a large bowl of hummus or garlic sauce plus crisp vegetable salad, and grilled meat or stuff it with shawarma filling or Falafel. It is a great bread to have with Tandoori chicken or Special Grilled Lamb. You can also have it with any Paneer gravy dish / non-veg dishes like Peshawari Chicken, Kashmiri Mutton Curry, Chicken Chettinad, Butter chicken, Kashmiri Butter chicken, Chicken tikka masala, Punjabi chicken, Kerala Mutton Curry, Spicy Chicken Roast etc. Serve this Pita bread fresh and warm, it has this unique texture- as it puffs up like a balloon on the roaster. Well, brace yourself for more demands from your family; with little grilled chicken or grilled lamb combined with garlic sauce, French fries and pickles wrapped in this glorious Pita bread, you just can’t stop your cravings! (you’ve been warned!)

Getting ready for New Year-

I believe like every other human, that New year is the time to start thinking more of yourself, a fitter you – to be exact! Well, I am not very keen on fad diets like keto and gluten free diets but believe in eating moderately and doing regular exercise. You can do running, cycling, walking, spend a fixed time at the gym, or find a sport you love- it is your choice, but make sure you do it regularly. Exercise helps to rescind many of our aches, pains and tiredness, improves our fitness levels and most importantly, puts us on a positive trail.

May this new year bring many more happy memories and joyful moments to each one of you. Always be grateful for the past blessings and may God’s choicest blessings surround your family and loved ones this whole year. Happy New Year!

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Ingredients for Pita Bread:

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Watch Video Recipe (https://youtu.be/qdrDEXHu3S4)

Step by Step recipe for Pita Bread

1. Mix wheat flour, Maida and salt.
2. In a cup add yeast, sugar and mix in half cup lukewarm water. Cover and keep for ten minutes or until the yeast starts to foam.
3. Slowly pour the yeast to the flour mix and make a crumble with your hands.
4. Slowly add more warm water, part by part to get a sticky dough.
5. Rub little olive oil in your hands and knead to a smooth dough. If you feel that the dough is dry, then wet your hands with water and knead again till the dough is soft and stretchy.
6. If the dough is too sticky, sprinkle some flour and knead again.
7. Rub with olive oil and cover it with a wet cloth and keep aside for 1 hour or more till the dough rises well over double in size.
8. You can even use stand mixer to knead the dough; since this did not require too much kneading, I preferred hands.

9. Once the dough is ready, knead the dough and make 12 medium sized balls.
10. Gently press the dough balls into small thick circular discs, sprinkle flour and with the help of rolling pin, make thick round discs of 10 cm diameter.
11. Heat the pan/ skillet on high heat and place the Pita bread (one at a time) on it for almost 15- 20 seconds.
12. When small bubbles start foaming on the surface, flip to cook the other side. Flip once more.

13. Remove and place the roaster/ Jali on the flame and transfer the Pita bread gently to the roaster. Reduce the flame.
14. The Pita bread will start puffing up like a balloon.
15. Gently flip it with a spatula and let the other side also cook for few seconds.
16. Transfer to a thick towel and wrap and keep.

17. Likewise, make the rest of the Pita bread and keep together covered with the towel to keep it moist and soft.
18. Serve with Hummus dip or Garlic sauce or use it for shawarma or as tortilla wrap. Enjoy!

Tips:

• You can also prepare Pita bread with Plain Flour only. I have used both wheat flour and Maida to make it healthier.
• Use good quality dry instant yeast for better results.
• Olive oil gives it a unique flavor.
• Do not hesitate to use the roaster. There is no scientific proof that cooking on gas stop/ direct flame will cause cancer or serious ill effects.
• Always keep covered in a dry cloth after the pita bread is ready to avoid getting dry and to keep it moist and soft.

Hope you like this Middle East Pita Bread recipe. Please do put in your comments or share with your friends with the help of buttons on the side. It would definitely encourage me! God Bless!

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