Why it works: Buttermilk and molasses work together. They rank in the top 11% of all ingredient pairs, and cooks put them together in 526 recipes. Both carry ethanol, which smells alcoholic, ethereal. The science ↓
Indian Bread
Ingredients
Directions
The book says “a quick oven”. The 350°F (175°C) in the steps is the modern equivalent, not the book's own figure.
Prepare
In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk, molasses, and salt.
Dissolve the baking soda in a little buttermilk and add it to the mixture.
Mix and cook
Stir in the flour, followed by the Indian meal.
Steam for 3 hours or bake at 350°F (175°C) for 2 hours.
Transcribed from a scanned cookbook and modernised for today's kitchens. Where the book gave no heat or time, or said "a moderate oven", the temperatures and times here may be modern equivalents rather than the book's own figures.
Explore the science
The flavor team
The pairs that carry this dish. Each one is judged two ways: how much their aromas overlap, and how often cooks already put them together.
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Buttermilk + molassestop 11% of all pairsSmell alikemoderateCooked together526 recipes
Shared aroma: ethanol (alcoholic, ethereal).
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Buttermilk + wheattop 19% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together226 recipes
Shared aroma: 1-octen-3-ol (mushroom, earthy).
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Wheat + molassestop 24% of all pairsSmell alikelowCooked together702 recipes
Shared aroma: furaneol (caramel, strawberry).
Ranks compare each pair with 20,000 random ingredient pairs on CompKitchen. How we score pairs
What each ingredient does
- Buttermilk
- Provides the liquid and acidity that react with the baking soda to lift the batter.
- Indian meal
- Forms the bulk of the bread and gives it its coarse, hearty texture.
- Wheat or rye flour
- Adds gluten-forming or structural body that helps hold the loaf together.
- Molasses
- Adds sweetness, dark color and a deep caramel flavor.
- Baking soda
- Reacts with the acidic buttermilk to release gas and make the bread rise.
The step that matters
Dissolve the baking soda in a little buttermilk before adding it. Baking soda needs to be evenly dispersed in liquid so it reacts with the buttermilk's acid throughout the batter. Clumps can leave pockets of bitterness and uneven rising.
“What each ingredient does” and “The step that matters” were written by Claude from this recipe’s own method and reviewed in samples by CompKitchen.
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