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Goan Poi Bread Recipe – How to Make Poi Bread

The art of breadmaking is a legacy passed on to the Goans by the Portuguese.
The Goan pao is (rather was) a culinary masterpiece. Pao is Portuguese for bread, and a Goan bread maker is known locally as a poder, an adaptation of the Portuguese padeiro.
Goan Poee/Goan Poi bread is one of the popular Goan bread with a better nutritional value than the other local breads available in Goa. Poee/Poi bread is a traditionally made recipe with whole wheat flour. Additional bran is added to it, which increases its nutrition value too. From the first meal of the day (breakfast) to the last (dinner), the humble pao, which is almost always baked traditionally in hole-in-the-wall coal or wood-fired ovens, is part and parcel of Goan staple diet, and this is precisely the recipe that shares how one should make it. Those available in markets today aren’t made the original way. They are made of refined wheat flour with some bran dusted on the top to give it the feel of a real poi.
Check out this traditional poi bread recipe. We hope you love it and share this with your loved ones. If you have a special poi bread recipe you use, drop your recipe in the comment section.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 8 poi
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Goan, Indo-Portugese
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ cup whole wheat khapli flour
  • 1 cup nachni flour or any gluten-free flour
  • 1 ½ tsp wild yeast
  • ½ cup wheat bran for dusting
  • 1 tsp himalayan pink salt
  • 1 tbsp organic jaggery powder/coconut palm sugar
  • 2 tsp cold pressed coconut oil
  • 350 ml water or more as per kneading

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowls
  • Oven
  • Rolling Pin

Method
 

  1. To activate the yeast: Stir the jaggery/coconut palm sugar in 75 ml Himalayan lukewarm water and sprinkle the yeast in it.
  2. Mix and leave aside for 10 to 12 minutes. When the yeast gets active, the mixture will turn frothy.
  3. Mix all the other ingredients in a different bowl.
  4. Add the remaining water bit by bit till all is used.
  5. Knead the dough well. When the dough is ready, it will be slightly sticky and soft.
  6. Cover and keep aside for about 2 hours at room temperature (or until doubled in size).
  7. After 2 hours, gently deflate the dough.
  8. Divide the dough into 6-7 portions and form balls.
  9. Use wheat bran to dust rolling surface.
  10. Dip each dough ball in the wheat bran and roll into approximately 4–5-inch sized discs.
  11. Cover and keep aside for 30 minutes.
  12. Preheat the oven to 245–250-degree C.
  13. Bake for 6-7 minutes.
  14. If the top is not well browned, you can turn on TOP heat for 1 min. Ensure the top doesn’t get burned. You will get nice soft pois with hollows inside. That's how to make poi.

Notes

Here are some notes and variations for the Goan Poi bread recipe:
  1. If you don’t get an empty pocket in the poi bread, next time make sure you preheat the oven for a longer time.
  2. The oven has to be very hot as the empty pocket in the poi is created when it is being baked.
  3. The outer surface creates a wall/layer that seals the poi before it gets inflated or puffed up with steam that is created internally with the high heat, creating a pocket.
  4. Depending on the flours used, you may need a little more water to knead the dough. Therefore, it is important to add the water in small quantities while kneading.
  5. The water to activate the yeast should be only lukewarm, or it will kill the yeast.
  6. High temperature is essential so that the poi bread puffs up well. The oven should, therefore be hot.
  7. Stretching and pulling the dough with hands is the best as the dough becomes very elastic and pliable.
  8. You can use oat bran as a replacement for wheat bran in this poi recipe too.
  9. You can also use a sourdough starter for making the poi  bread as an alternative to this poi recipe. 
Benefits of using wheat bran, nachani and khapli wheat:
  • Wheat bran is rich in dietary fibre. The insoluble fibre present in it can help relieve or prevent constipation and keep bowel movements regular.
  • Those who are gluten intolerant can use gluten-free oat bran too.
  • Nachni is packed with amino acids and calcium.
  • Khapali/emmer is a good source of protein, iron, dietary fibre, thiamine and other B-vitamins. It also has lesser gluten content as compared to the usual wheat.
We hope these nutrition-packed facts can inspire you to try this Poi recipe and also share your own.