Some countries wake to the call of the rooster. But in Goa, people wake to the sound of the poder arriving with a batch of freshly baked bread. Bread is so integral to Goan culture and no meal is complete without some form of pao to accompany it. There are dozens of different variations available but the art is the poder is quickly fading as commercial bread brands crowd the market.
If you took a peek into the poder’s basket you’d be met by rolls and loaves of every shape and size. One of the more familiar-looking ones is likely to be the Kankonn Roll, Goa’s answer to a bagel. The name itself is said to come from the word kankan – meaning bangle – and directly references the ring shape of the bread. The sign of a good Kankonn is an almost cracked crust, one where it looks like the slightest pressure might shatter it.
Unlike maybe other Goan breads, the Kankonn is eaten in a very simple way, with a side of hot black tea, and maybe a smear of butter. This teatime snack is surprisingly easy to recreate, so give it a try and bring a part of Goa’s fading bread culture to your kitchen.
Image Credits: emmadinizryan/Instagram
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 3/4 cup lukewarm water
- a pinch of sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:
- In a bowl, add the water, yeast and a pinch of sugar. Stir and set aside to froth and foam.
- Mix flour and salt into the yeast mixture. Knead to form a stiff dough. It may feel a bit dry since less water is used so wet your hand and knead the dough. It should spring back when pressed with two fingers.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, turning once. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place for one hour.
- Once risen, punch the dough down to deflate the air. Weigh the dough and divide it into 6 equal smooth balls.
- Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- On a work surface, roll each ball into a 14-inch rope. Overlap both ends by 1-inch to form a ring. Place your right fingers above the ends holding the top of the ring with your left hand. Roll the ends back and forth firmly to seal. Stretch and transfer onto the prepared tray.
- Repeat the above with the rest of the dough. Ensure to keep each ring's spaces apart from one another.
- Stretch them wide gently since they tend to shrink before covering them with a kitchen towel. Keep in a warm place to rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 F or 200 C. Bake on the middle rack of the oven for 25 minutes until crispy and brown.
- Remove onto a wire rack to cool. Enjoy kankonn with black tea.
