Simple Astragalus Bread Recipe
This basic bread recipe is a crowd pleaser ideal for anyone who is intimidated by new flavors but still open to using herbs in their cooking. If you didn't know, you may not even notice that there are medicinal herbs incorporated into this bread. All you need to make this recipe are a few pantry staples and about 3 hours of time.
You will need the following ingredients:
1 cup water
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp oil, plus a bit extra
1 tbsp honey
1.5 tbsp salt
1 tbsp astragalus root powder
2 ¾-3 cups all-purpose flour, plus a bit extra
In a small bowl, place ½ cup of warm water (not hot) and sprinkle the yeast over top. Allow it to stand for 5 minutes.
Next, in a medium bowl, add ½ cup of water, the oil, honey, salt, and astragalus root powder. Stir to combine. Add in your water/yeast mixture, as well as ½ cup of flour, stirring until you have formed a loose batter. Continue to stir in your remaining flour until you have formed a shaggy dough. Knead your dough for 8-10 minutes or use a stand mixer with a bread hook attachment. If your dough is too sticky, sprinkle in extra flour until you reach the desired consistency. Your finished dough should be smooth, springy, and free from lumps.
Coat the inside of a large bowl with oil. Form all of your dough into one large ball, coat the ball lightly with oil, place inside the bowl. Cover your bowl and dough with a kitchen towel and place somewhere warm for about 1 hour. After this time your dough should have approximately doubled in size.
Next, form your ball of dough roughly into the shape of a loaf of bread. If you do not have a loaf pan or are not fussy about the shape of your bread, you can make a freeform loaf by forming the dough into your best estimate of a loaf shape and using an oiled baking tray instead. Cover, place in a warm spot, and allow your loaf to rise for another 30-40 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 375F. Once your loaf has risen for the second time, use a knife to create a long, shallow slash in the middle of the top of the loaf. This will help the bread to rise once it’s in the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until your loaf is golden-brown. Remove from oven, cool on a wire baking rack, and enjoy!
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