Flour, water, yeast, salt. Not much to shout about when considered separately, but once combined, these items form one of life’s greatest simple pleasures: fresh-baked bread, warm from the oven. A crusty, toasty outside broken open to reveal a soft, light inside.

Cradling a hearty sandwich, used to mop up sauces or curries, or simply devoured on its own with softened butter or flavourful olive oil, bread – in all its myriad forms – has remained a culinary staple in virtually all cultures throughout recorded history. And like so many other things, once the basics have been mastered, the real craftsmanship can flourish. Accordingly, bakers at the top of their game are especially well-regarded in both restaurant and consumer circles, with plenty of customers going out of their way for a favoured bakery.

Malaysian native Ezekiel Ananthan, called Anand by his friends, after spending a few years working in the bakery business in New Zealand, returned to his home country flush with knowledge and experience.

Inspired during his time in Auckland and Wellington by the craft of baking, Anand returned to KL and started his own brand of artisanal breads, encompassing Western styles such as the well-known baguette, English muffin, and ciabatta, and Eastern breads familiar to anyone who’s been in Malaysia for a while, like roti canai, naan, and chapatti. He also teaches bread-baking classes, so it was really only a matter of time before Anand’s talents and skills, buoyed by his love of baking, found their way to the printed page.

As part of the excellent MPH Masterclass Kitchens series, Anand was one of five chefs featured in a book called Lost Recipes of Malaysia, an opportunity that introduced him to the editor of the book series, which led directly to Home-baked Breads, the latest entry in the series.

The book is organised logically and is particularly well-suited to beginning bakers. A lengthy opening section not only tells Anand’s story and how he fell in love with baking during a three-year stint in New Zealand, but outlines in detail all the ingredients and equipment critical to successful bread baking. It is a superb primer to the world of baking.

Then, of course, come the recipes. Gorgeously photographed step-by-step images inspire confidence to tackle any of these breads – and the photos of the finished products definitely tempt home cooks to give them a go to see if they can duplicate Anand’s beautiful results. From breads easily handled by journeyman bakers, such as the classic white loaf, Hokkaido milk loaf, and chapatti flatbread, to more advanced loaves like the timeless French baguette – Anand details his repeated efforts to get it just right– sourdough bread, and the delectable Basil and Rock Salt Ciabatta.

There are also recipes for challenging breads such as the Red Velvet Bun, Japanese Melon Pan, Panettone, and the elaborate fruit-laden German Stollen. Also featured for the adventurous baker are round treats like bagels, English muffins, doughnuts, and Rustic Rolls with Barley.

Home-baked Breads wraps up with a selection of recipes utilising some of the breads featured earlier in the book. Eggs Benedict, Chicken Curry, and a mouthwatering Oven-baked Lamb Roti are some of the standouts. Finally, a short troubleshooting guide and a helpful selection of places in Greater KL at which to purchase baking ingredients and utensils concludes the book.

It may seem at times life is just too busy and chaotic to spend time actually baking bread, but there is great enjoyment to be found in the process, and many of the breads featured in this splendid book are far easier to bake at home than you might imagine. Pick up a copy of Home-baked Breads and add another memorable dimension to your life in Malaysia. You may just surprise yourself. Baking bread is both an art and a science, and in view of this, the author’s words ring especially true: “The science is within this book. The art is within you.”

Home-baked Breads, 192 pages, is published by MPH Group Publishing and is available at all major bookstores in Malaysia.

Read more:

• Book Review: New Indian Kitchen
• Book Review: History of the Dutch in Malaysia
• Book Review: Jolly Good Lah!

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Source: The Expat Magazine October 2014