Guo Kui - 锅盔
I've been very busy with university life recently but I'm glad I was able to squeeze in this bake, it relieved all of the stress that I've been experiencing for the past few weeks.
Most think that the Chinese eat rice but it's only true in the south. In the north, wheat is the staple and people consume in the form of noodles and bread with steamed buns as the most common bread. Sourdough is also the traditional levening but from what I've read, sour bread do not fit Chinese tastes so an alkali is added to the dough to neutralize the acid and provide extra leavening. In Guandong which is in the south the popular dim sum steamed bun is sweet, soft and fluffy, very different from the northern mantou which is almost always unsweetened, dense with a very toothsome texture because it functions as a staple food just like European rustic breads. Chinese "baked" breads have fascinated me unlike in Europe where most if not all baking are made in a wood-fired oven, Chinese breads utilize a vast array of "primitive" (most folks today consider it that way) baking technology (a lot of makeshift equipment) that I find inventive and ingenious.
Guo Kui is an umbrella of various breads popular in the north and the Chinese Northwest; different breads in terms of look, size and cooking method but under one name. Most of my Chinese friends are northerners specifically from Xi'an in Shaanxi province and they recognize and have fond memories of this bread. I made an approximation of this bread from their description (which is of course an awesome language practice opportunity) and some internet research. It is dense and chewy, crusty and crispy, with a charred spotted appearance sometimes with a decorative imprint. It is like that because it is commonly paired with juicy fillings otherwise it will disintegrate. The most striking change I made is using sourdough which not that popular anymore in China.
I fermented the dough for 5 hours then divided them into 4 rounds then a 1 hour proof at room temperature then into the fridge overnight. The next day, I flattened them a bit then made several cuts on their sides using a cleaver then pressed them with my "decorative" stamp. I cooked them on a skillet 1 minute on each side then they went into my preheated claypot on top of the pebbles then baked for a further 10 minutes, 5 minutes on each side.
They were very fragrant from the clay pot, having a wheaty tangy smell with a wonderful smoky aroma. Flavor is wheaty, sweet with a nice tang. It dense but soft and just a little chewy, the crust was delightfully crisp and caramelized. Man, those pebbles give my breads a distinct flavor and aroma that you can't find anywhere else! I was boiling them yesterday to remove any gunk that may have accumulated over time and after boiling they smelt smoky and reminiscent of pineapples and raisins. Those are what they give to my breads and even hours after baking breads, they still smell like that and just greet my nose with an appetizing aroma. I think this is my new favorite method for baking rustic breads now; minimal burnt spots. I was also happy that the imprint showed through the bake. We really liked the bread just the way it is and I think it is perfect for heavy fillings. I'm excited to tweak it further like making it more sour or experimenting with different sweet and savory fillings.
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What is better to pair with this delicious bread? Homemade egg noodles! With fried sauce! I made them today as well before baking the bread. I really feel like I am in Northern China. I was already a bit emotional and overwhelmed while eating them that I forgot take a picture of them together. :) The noodles were soft and delicate and the sauce packs a punch even though there is no meat in there. A perfect match with the guo kui for a filling meal.