In Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral, we have several bread recipes. we make some on special occasions; we make some of them specifically to eat with tea in the morning and evening. We make others with curries. Hunza cornbread is one of many bread types which goes well with tea and therefore, is part of our breakfast items.

The ingredients for Hunza cornbread I have used are very basic and simple, but we can add more ingredients. We can use milk instead of water to knead and we can also add an egg along with oil. I am baking it without an oven and from experience when I used milk and egg and baked it on the stovetop it fell apart while flipping it to bake the second side of the bread. I try to make it with the least and simple ingredients below and it came out to be a perfect Cornbread.

Hunza Corn Bread Ingredients:

Cornmeal           4 cups

Salt                      a pinch

Oil                       3 Tablespoons

Water                 250 ml at room temperature

Directions:

Add four cups of cornmeal to a bowl.

Add a pinch of salt

Mix the dry ingredients and add 3 Tablespoons of oil. Here I have used cooking oil, but you can use butter and an egg if you like.

Now mix all the ingredients with the hand for few minutes.

When you are done with mixing it well then knead it with water. You can replace water with milk but here I have used room temperature water.

Transfer the dough to a board and press it to make a circle shape.

Baking Hunza corn Bread without an oven:

Grease the pan with oil, any cooking oil works, or you can use butter. Preheat the pan at high heat and then carefully transfer the circle shape dough to the pan.

Cover the lid and turn the heat to low and let it bake for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes carefully turn on the bread upside down and then cover the lid and bake the other side for another good 30 minutes.

The baking process for me took exactly 60 minutes. For a full demonstration consider watching the cornbread baking video to the end.

Serving:

It is breakfast bread, and we serve it with tea and homemade butter.