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No matter which part of the subcontinent you travel to, you are most likely to find at least one flatbread that is peculiar to that region. That’s right, Indian breads go way beyond your standard chapatis and parathas, and in many places, some of these breads even get sweeter in taste. Take your Sheermal or Bakarkhani, for instance. Even though these Mughlai breads are paired with decadent kormas and nihari, they are sweet in taste which, in turn, enhances the overall flavour of the meal. If you go further down, you’d find many such sweet breads bringing their own charm to the table.
Recently, when cricketer Sachin Tendulkar visited Goa, he gorged on many local delicacies. He also went to many small eateries there to get authentic fare. In one of these places, he gave a shout out to a ‘Goan Bun’. Now, if you are even a little bit into history, you would know how Goa was once a Portuguese colony. In fact, it was the Portuguese who introduced Goa to the concept of baked buns, breads, and pav. But guess what, this Goan ‘bun’ may not have any Portuguese link after all. This Goan delight is also known as ‘Goan Poee’ and ‘Mangalore Bun’. However, the dough of the latter also features bananas.
The Goan Bun is a famous tea-time snack, but it is also enjoyed for breakfast. Often after the Sunday Mass, people sit down for a slightly indulgent breakfast featuring the Goan bun with a runny curry or sabzi, like Chonya Ross or Patal Bhaji. These deep-fried buns comprise sugar and jeera, lending this bread a sweet and scented flavour.
These buns look a lot like puris; they are crisp on the outside; and have a soft, almost bread-like texture inside. The dough of these sweet jeera buns is typically made with maida, baking soda, salt, whole cumin seeds, turmeric powder, sugar, and yoghurt. When you knead the dough, you also need to rest it for 5-6 hours or overnight, so that it rises and becomes spongy. After the dough is ready, pull out small balls, roll them flat, and deep-fry in oil or ghee. Serve hot with any curry and enjoy.
