What is whole wheat bread, gehun ka bread?

Whole wheat bread is one of the most popular varieties of bread, enjoyed by people the world over. Each country has its own recipe and specialties when it comes to making whole wheat bread. Whole wheat bread is made with significant amounts of whole grain flour like wheat or rye, and may use ingredients like molasses, coffee and caramel for colouring. It retains the bran and germ of the wheat flour, and hence all the essential nutrients and fibre remain intact — making it the preferred choice of the health conscious. It is available in many forms, such as bread rolls, bread buns and loaves.

Whole wheat bread usually contains five main ingredients: wheat or rye flour, salt, sugar, water and yeast. To make bread, ensure that you scale and weigh the ingredients properly. Once that is done, you can start preparing the dough. The dough should be fermented for the proper length of time to yield properly aerated dough. During fermentation, the yeast cells act on the sugars and produce carbon dioxide and alcohol. Once fermented, the dough will rise in volume because of gas retention. This risen dough is punched to release the gases and covered under a wet muslin cloth. The dough will rise once again and needs to be punched again to remove the gases. It is then rolled into desired shapes and baked.

Bread dough can be shaped into various sizes and designs. Bakers might also use various additives, collectively known as Bread Improvers to produce loaves with better keeping properties, finer texture, softer crumbs, added bloom or enhanced flavour. Bread additives include mineral additives, enriching agents or yeast foods like malt sugar, Demerara sugar, etc.

When whole wheat bread is a little old, it can be dried in the oven or toasted on an open flame and then ground into bread crumbs. Alternatively, bread can be cubed and deep-fried to make croutons, which can be stored for a longer time.

Staleness in bread is the dryness and crumbliness felt by the palate. The flavour gets insipid as the bread gets stale. Staling happens because of changes in the starch. Thus, staling is a shift of moisture within the loaf rather than its loss. Thus, bread makers use anti-staling agents like lecithin, soya flour, GMS etc. to improve texture and increase volume.

Toasted whole wheat bread slices

Toasted whole wheat bread refers to sliced bread cooked on an open flame or a conventional toaster to get a warm and crisp slice of bread. To toast whole wheat bread slices, place the bread slices on a hot tava or pan and roast till they turn crisp and golden brown from both the sides. You can also toast them using little amount of butter or oil. Toasting bread not just makes it crisp and tasty, but also allows toppings to stay securely on the toasted slice without getting moist. It is also a common method to cook stale bread. Toasted whole wheat breads can be used in variety of dishes like sandwiches and toasts. They can also cut into croutons and added to soups and broths.

• Always buy fresh whole wheat bread; you can check the freshness using the crust texture and aroma of the bread.
• Never buy without checking the manufacturing date, expiry date and packaging.

Culinary Uses of whole wheat bread, gehun ka bread in Indian Cooking

• A whole wheat bread loaf can be thinly or thickly sliced as per recipe requirement. Maintain or discard the crust during slicing.
• Sliced whole wheat bread loaves are most commonly used to make sandwiches with various fillings like vegetables, shredded chicken, salami, cheese, jam, etc. They can also be made in various styles: toasted or grilled, open toasts, hot dog rolls, submarines, etc.
• Whole wheat bread is a good accompaniment for soups. These breads are usually in the form of bread rolls, Grissini sticks etc.
• Whole wheat bread, when baked into buns, acts as a base for burgers. Burger buns are usually sprinkled with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.
• Butter a few slices of whole wheat bread and rub some garlic on each slice. Cut into cubes and bake in the oven till crisp. Use as croutons for soups. These can also be flavoured with herbs, cheese etc.
• Bread dough can be stuffed with a creamy sauce cooked with vegetables like sweet corn, mushrooms, herbs and cheese, and then baked – to make a great mid-day snack.
• You can roll bread dough thinly and then top with poppy seeds, sesame seeds etc. Cut into thin strips or into triangles and then bake till golden brown and crisp. These strips can be used as crackers or as a garnish for salads.

• It is better to consume whole wheat bread fresh. However, if you wish to store it for longer, cover in plastic film, place in a bread box and store under refrigerated conditions. Try and use as soon as possible.
• Alternatively, grind into bread crumbs or cube and deep-fry to make bread croutons, which can be stored in an airtight container for few days.
• Bread that is kept in warm or moist conditions is prone to mould. So avoid such environments.

Well, the use of bread is relative and individualistic. Whole wheat bread is a slightly better choice than white bread made from refined plain flour. Compared to maida-based bread which is surely to be avoided, the bread made with whole wheat grain that is milled or with whole wheat flour is a healthier alternative. Whole wheat bread has more fiber than the white bread, which helps in maintaining blood sugar and blood cholesterol levels in a better way . However both the varieties of bread are almost at par in their carb count. So moderation is the key here.