Fried Bake (also known as “fry bake”) is another very popular Trinidadian breakfast “bread”. It is actually fried, not baked. If you have heard of the most famous Trinidad bake and shark, this is my recipe for the “bake” with a little twist. Find the original recipe here; very similar to this with the exception of the onion.
This concept was shared with me by my cousin Deera who visited from Trinidad recently. She made it for my mom who loved it and I was eager to try.
The end result is surprisingly not onion-y, but the onion seems to lend a mild sweetness to the bakes. I used sweet onion which could have been the reason it was mild. Use your judgement when using the stronger yellow onion.
These scrumptious bakes can be enjoyed with Kerrygold butter, New Zealand cheddar cheese, butter and cheddar cheese, tomato choka, saltfish and tomatoes, fried egg, scrambled egg with tomatoes, sliced avocado, sardine choka, salmon and tomatoes, fried sausage (according to my sister), Trini black pudding (blood pudding), smoked herring and tomatoes, smoked herring choka. The possibilities are endless.
Hope you enjoy.
ONION FRIED BAKES
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 4 tsp baking powder aluminum free
- 1 tsp Himalayan salt
- 2 tbs brown sugar
- 2 tbs butter room temperature
- 1 cup grated onion
- Warm water about 1 cup
- 3 cups Oil for frying bake (3 cups)
- Pinch yeast - optional makes for a more bread-like bake
Instructions
- In a large bowl or in the bowl of an electric mixer, add flour, salt, sugar, butter and baking powder. Mix well to combine.
- While gradually adding water, knead to make a very soft, smooth dough, about 5 minutes. (If using an electric mixer, knead on level 4). Do not fold over and please try to use ALL the water called for in the recipe. It's better to have a sticky dough that you can add a pinch of flour to, rather than a stiff, dry dough.
- Form into a large ball, rub the surface with 1 tbs of oil or butter and cover with a wet paper towel. Allow it rest for about 15-30 minutes. You can place in a resealable bag or tight container and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. This helps to create a fluffier result.
- When ready to cook, heat oil in a deep frying pan or dutch oven over medium heat.
- Divide the dough and form into 4 loyahs(balls). You can roll out each dough with a rolling pin, about 8 inches wide, keeping the remaining covered. Cut into triangles with a knife or pizza cutter. Alternatively, you may divide each loyah into 4 golf sized balls. On a lightly-floured surface flatten into 1/4 inch thick discs, using your hands or a rolling pin. Note that if you roll it out too thin, your bakes will be stiff and hard.
- Working in batches, fry the dough disks or triangles, turning once, until golden brown and puffed, about 30 seconds per side. Continuously pour oil on bakes to help it to rise quicker. Always flip bakes as soon as it puffs up and has a nice golden color, keeping in mind that overcooking will also make the bakes stiff. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bakes to a paper towel-lined tray. Repeat with the remaining dough.
- Enjoy hot.
Notes
**For family gatherings, I have also multiplied this recipe by 3 (using 12 cups of flour) with exceptional results.
When do you add the Grated Onion?
Hello: Add it when kneading the dough. Thanks.