Malunggay Pandesal: Baking The Filipino Favorite Healthier

Malunggay pandesal is a creative innovation of the classic Filipino breakfast bread, packed with vitamins and minerals. This healthier version of the traditional pandesal is infused with malunggay (moringa) leaves, which are native to the Philippines and other Asian and African countries. Malunggay is a nutrient-rich ingredient, containing seven times more vitamin C than oranges, four times more calcium than milk, and twice as much protein as an egg, earning its reputation as a superfood or miracle vegetable.

This soft and airy pandesal is subtly sweet and delicious, making it a perfect breakfast or afternoon snack. It can be enjoyed on its own or with various fillings, such as cheese, meat, or spreads. The addition of breadcrumbs is a defining characteristic of this Filipino bread, giving it a crunchy exterior while remaining soft and fluffy on the inside.

Preparing malunggay pandesal involves combining dry ingredients, including flour, sugar, salt, and malunggay leaves, with wet ingredients such as water, milk, egg, and oil. The dough is then kneaded, shaped, and coated with breadcrumbs before being baked in the oven.

The following paragraphs will provide a step-by-step guide on how to bake this nutritious and mouthwatering malunggay pandesal.

Preparing the malunggay leaves

Firstly, select fresh malunggay leaves, also known as moringa leaves. If you have access to a moringa tree, you can pick the leaves yourself; otherwise, you can purchase them from local markets or grocery stores. Wash the leaves thoroughly to remove any dirt or impurities.

Next, separate the leaves from the stems. You can do this by gently plucking or cutting the leaves from the stems. It is important to only use the leaves for this recipe, as the stems may affect the texture and flavour of the final product.

Once you have a cup of fresh malunggay leaves, you can begin the blanching process. Bring a pot of water to a boil and prepare a bowl of cold water on the side. Carefully place the leaves into the boiling water for a brief period, and then immediately transfer them into the cold water. This process helps to preserve the colour and nutrients of the leaves. After blanching, set the leaves aside in a strainer to allow any excess water to drain.

At this stage, the leaves should be patted dry with a clean cloth or paper towel to remove any remaining moisture. You can then proceed to chop the leaves coarsely or blend them into a fine paste, depending on your preferred texture. If blending, you may need to add a small amount of water to facilitate the process.

Finally, your prepared malunggay leaves are now ready to be incorporated into the dough mixture. Simply add the desired amount of leaves to the other dry ingredients, such as flour, sugar, and salt, and mix until well combined. You can also choose to squeeze out any excess water from the blanched leaves before adding them to the dough, ensuring a drier consistency.

By following these steps, you will be able to unlock the health benefits and enhance the flavour of your malunggay pandesal with carefully prepared malunggay leaves.

Mixing the dry ingredients

If you are using yeast, it is best to combine it with water and let the mixture stand for 5 minutes before adding it to the dry ingredients. This will activate the yeast and ensure that it is properly combined with the dry ingredients.

Once the dry ingredients are mixed, you can make a well in the center and add the wet ingredients, including the egg, oil, water, and yeast mixture. Mix until well blended.

Adding the wet ingredients

To make malunggay pandesal, you'll need to add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until well combined. The wet ingredients typically include lukewarm water, milk, egg, butter or oil, and vanilla extract. Here's a detailed guide on adding the wet ingredients:

Firstly, prepare the yeast mixture by combining lukewarm water and yeast. You can also add a sweetener like sugar or honey to this mixture. Let the mixture stand for around 5-10 minutes until it becomes foamy. This process is known as "proofing" or "blooming" the yeast, and it ensures the yeast is active and will help the dough rise.

Next, in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients, including flour, sugar, salt, and malunggay powder or chopped fresh malunggay leaves. You can also add bread improver at this stage if you want a softer texture. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and set aside.

Now, it's time to add the liquid ingredients to the yeast mixture. To the yeast mixture, add lukewarm water or milk, butter or oil, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix these wet ingredients until well combined. You can also add the malunggay leaves to this mixture if you haven't already combined them with the dry ingredients.

Once the wet ingredients are mixed, slowly pour them into the well in the center of the dry ingredients. Mix everything together until a dough starts to form. You may need to adjust the amount of liquid or flour to achieve the right consistency. The dough should be sticky and wet at first, but it will come together as you knead it.

After combining the wet and dry ingredients, you can proceed to knead the dough. Lightly flour a clean surface and transfer the dough to it. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. This process should take around 10-15 minutes by hand or 5-8 minutes with a dough mixer.

Finally, place the kneaded dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover it with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. This step is crucial, as it allows the yeast to work and gives the bread its airy texture.

Once the dough has risen, you can proceed to the next steps of shaping, proofing, and baking your malunggay pandesal!

Kneading the dough

Once you've mixed together your dry ingredients and added the wet ingredients to form a dough, it's time to knead. Kneading the dough is an important step in the bread-making process, as it helps to develop the gluten that gives the bread its structure. Here's a guide to kneading the dough for malunggay pandesal:

Lightly flour a clean, flat surface and place your dough on it. You may want to grease your hands and the surface with a little oil to prevent the dough from sticking. Start to knead the dough by folding it towards you, then pushing it away from you with the heels of your hands. Turn the dough a quarter turn and repeat the process. Keep doing this, working quickly and using a light touch, until the dough is smooth and elastic. This should take around 8-10 minutes by hand, or 5 minutes if you're using a machine.

If the dough is too dry, you can add a little more water. However, it's normal for the dough to be sticky at first, and it will become less so as you continue to knead. Try to avoid adding more flour, as this will affect the texture of the bread. If the dough is very sticky, you can coat your hands and the surface with a little oil.

You'll know the dough has been kneaded enough when it passes the windowpane test. To do this, take a small piece of dough and stretch it out with your fingers. If it can be stretched into a thin, translucent square without tearing, it's ready.

Once the dough has been kneaded, form it into a ball and place it in a clean, dry bowl. Lightly oil the dough and cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a damp cloth. Let the dough rise until it has doubled in size, which should take around 30 minutes to an hour.

After this, you can shape the dough into balls, let them rise again, and bake them in the oven.

Shaping the pandesal

• Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and divide it into equal portions. The number of portions will depend on the size of pandesal you want. For smaller pandesal, divide the dough into 16-20 pieces. For larger pandesal, divide it into 4-8 pieces.
• Roll each piece of dough into a tight ball. Cover the dough balls with a damp cloth and let them rest for about 10 minutes.
• After resting, roll each ball into a cylindrical or log shape. If you are adding a filling, such as cheese, flatten each ball and place the filling in the centre before rolling it into a cylinder.
• Roll the dough cylinders in a tray of breadcrumbs until they are well coated. This step is crucial as it gives pandesal its signature crunchy exterior. Place the coated dough cylinders on a lightly greased baking tray, leaving some space between them as they will expand during proofing.
• Let the dough cylinders proof for about 1-1.5 hours or until they have doubled in size. This is an important step as it allows the dough to relax and expand, resulting in a softer texture.
• Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). You can also preheat the oven to a slightly higher temperature, such as 375°F, if you prefer a darker colour on your pandesal.
• Bake the pandesal for 12-25 minutes, depending on their size. They are done when the tops are golden brown and the sides are crunchy.
• Remove the pandesal from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving. They can be enjoyed warm with your favourite spreads or fillings.

By following these steps, you will shape and bake delicious malunggay pandesal with a soft interior and crunchy exterior.

Frequently asked questions