Friday, July 6, 2012

106. Iraqi Iroog Bread


Iroog, or irook, or iroogh (عروق) is typical Iraqi, and exists in many forms by slightly changing the method and ingredients. They can be made into patties and fried, they may be skewered into kebebs, or they may be baked as a bread.
Today I am presenting iroog bread, a family favorite, and has never failed to impress first-timers, despite its lack of beauty.
They are best eaten hot, but the recipe takes up quite some time and yields a good amount that is not likely to be consumed in the same day. Therefore I recommend freezing them in zip-lock bags and toasting them to re-heat.



Ingredients:

4 cups flour
2 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

750g minced meat
250g minced lamb fat
2 spring onions, chopped finely
1/2 onion, chopped finely
2 tomatoes, seeded, chopped finely
1 bq parsley, chopped finely
1 1/2 tsp Madras
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp chili
1/2 tsp pepper


Method:

In a large bowl or basin, mix the sifted flour, 2 tsp yeast, 1 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and enough warm water to achieve a liquidy dough, almost like paste.
Cover and set in a warm place for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat oven to 500°F.
Incorporate by hand the minced meat, minced fat, finely chopped vegetables, and the spices and seasonings into toe dough (dough will still be very soft, a little thicker than a batter).

Using wet hands, take a handful of the mixture and on an oven-proof silicone mat, pat it into a disc about 1 centimeter thick.

Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until cooked through and golden at the bottom and edges.
Stack on a wire rack to cool completely before storing (preferably in the freezer) if not consumed within the day. To be served hot or warm.



 صحة و عافية


4 comments:

Joann Talabani said...

This was great! I didn't have yeast on hand so I substituted baking soda with lemon juice as a leavening agent. I'm sure the texture with the yeast is even better, but these were still so yummy! They came out more like a veggie packed meatloaf rather than the crispy Iroog bread pictured, perhaps I made mine too thick as well :P I also added some zucchini, eggplant, and shredded carrot as I had an excess of these in the fridge and it was wonderful. Thanks Maryam, I am a newbie to cooking and I left Iraq as a very young child so your recipes mean so much to me. They allow me to recconect with my roots :) 3ashet eedich as we say xoxo

Maryam said...

Thanks Joann! That's wonderful it worked out. You must try it again with yeast once you've got the chance. 3ashat ayamich!

Unknown said...

Hi,
Thank you for posting this recipe. Can you please tell me what madras is?
God bless you,
Linda

Maryam said...

Thank you Linda! Madras is just curry powder, but a famous version of it from the Indian city of Madras, so it is called Madras curry powder. Sub for any curry powder if you can't find Madras.