This sourdough chora recipe is everything you want from classic chora, but there is extra depth and chili peppers from sourdough. The dough itself is rich in eggs and a bit of oil, and comes with luxurious, soft bread crumbs.
I make the dough on the first day, keep it calm overnight, then shape it and raise it on the second day. This creates more flavor and improves texture. Perfect weekend grill. Because it is a concentrated dough, you don’t want to hurry up as the rise time can be a little slower than the lean dough. In winter, or when it’s cold, you should create a warm proof spot, just like you turned off the oven with a mug of boiling water next to it.
It’s a bit like brioche, but the kala is made into a paléb. This means that no dairy products are used.
Materials and why
You can find the amount in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here’s a summary of what you need.
Powerful versatile flour (about 11% protein) or breadcrumbs: Provides structure to the dough. Granulated sugar: Adds hints of sweetness Large egg: Adds richness, flavor, texture and lovely yellow to the bread. I use the whole egg and the yolk. Secondly, the egg wash brush on the top is free of waste using the remaining egg whites. Sourdough Starter: This will result in dough. Water: Add moisture to the dough. Salt: It also helps to strengthen the flavor and strengthen the gluten structure. Vegetable oil: Adds richness and kindness. This is added after the dough has been kneaded for a while.
Starter Notes
You can see on my recipe cards, I usually make another leban for my bread. This is like a derivative of my starter and I feed them to add everything to my dough. However, if it makes a difference to your starter, you don’t have to worry. Use an active starter of about 100g with dough.
Learn more about how to maintain your starter here.
How to make it
Feed the starter the night before baking. Mix the starter with water, flour, eggs, sugar and salt. Knead in a stand mixer for 5 minutes to develop gluten and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Turn on the mixer and drizzle the oil. It takes another 15 minutes until the dough is strong and shiny and pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Shape it into a bowl and place it in a lightly greased container with a lid. Raise it to bulk at 50% and then refrigerate overnight. Shake the chilled fabric in a knitted, crispy texture. It rises at room temperature until it doubles. Bake until golden and shiny.
Knead the crust
Initially, the dough is mixed for about 5 minutes without oil. This initial mixing allows the flour to stay hydrated completely and the gluten can begin to develop. After that, the dough will relax for 5-10 minutes. After this rest, the oil is incorporated and the dough is kneaded for about 15 minutes.
Adding oil after the first kneading means that the gluten network is strong enough to begin with. Fats can block the gluten layer if too early.
Shaping four braided colours
I’ve added an illustration below to show how the colours are woven, but if you want better vision, this YouTube video is great.
Divide the chilled dough into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into long, uniform chains. Place the strands vertically in front of you and connect them to the top. Imagine numbering the strands from left to right (1, 2, 3, 4). Take strand 2, take it to the top left and cross strands 3 and 4. Next, take strand 1 and place it between strands 3 and 4. Now take strand 2, go over strands 3 and 4, and take it to the top right. Next, take strand 1 and place it between strands 3 and 4. Continue with this pattern, always moving strand 2 up, then moving strand 1 on three or four alternating sides, rearranging it towards the center. Braid until you reach the edge, pinch the edge and press neatly under the collar.
storage
Store remaining colours in an airtight bag at room temperature or wrap tightly for up to 3 days. To keep it fresh, slice and freeze in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw the slices at room temperature or gently toast before serving.
If you prefer to bake in advance, the kara also freezes the whole bread well. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before gently reheating in the oven.
Related recipes
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Sourdough Kara
This sourdough chora recipe is everything you want from classic chora, but there is extra depth and chili peppers from sourdough. The dough itself is rich in eggs and a bit of oil, resulting in luxurious, soft bread crumbs.
Levine*
20 g Sourdough starter60 g All-purpose flour60 g water
material
160 g Lukewarm water40 g Granule sugar470 g All-purpose flourAll Lebanes Or about 100g (1/2 cup) of sourdough starter2 big egg1 big egg yolk9 g salt35 g Vegetable oil
topping
1 Egg white +1 tablespoon of waterSesame seeds
material
Add water, flour, sugar, salt, eggs and starter to a stand mixer with dough hooks.
Lower the mixer and mix until you form a thick but slightly sticky dough. Mix this dough for about 5 minutes to develop gluten.
Turn off the mixer and let the dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
Turn the mixer to medium speed and drizzle the oil. It takes time to mix. Mix for about 15 minutes until dough is reinforced and together, then pull neatly away from the sides of the bowl.
Let the dough rest for a few minutes, then grab the pieces and see if you can stretch them thinly. This is called the “window pane” test and indicates proper gluten development.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap or lid.
Place the dough in a warm place, ideally 76°F (25°C) and bulk it at about 50%. Depending on the temperature, this can take about 4-6 hours.
Coldproof
Once raised, place the dough in the fridge for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours until it has been shaped. Make sure the bowl is covered well to prevent the dough from drying out.
Shaping
Pull the cold dough from the bowl and form it into a bowl on a light, powdered bench. Divide into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into long, uniform chains, 45-50cm (18-19 inches) each. Place the strands vertically in front of you and connect them to the top.
Knit the chora according to the infographic below or as you would like to do.
Raise the crust bread in a warm, damp place until it is doubled. This can take 5-8 hours depending on the temperature.
Baking
Preheat the oven to 180°F (350°C).
Sprinkle egg wash on top of the bread and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake until deep golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Once baked, let it cool to room temperature before slice.
Imagine numbering the strands from left to right (1, 2, 3, 4). Take Strand 2 and pass it over to Strands 3 and 4 on the top left. Next, take strand 1 and place it between strands 3 and 4. Now take strand 2, go over strands 3 and 4, and take it to the top right. Next, take strand 1 and place it between strands 3 and 4. Continue with this pattern, always moving strand 2 up, then moving strand 1 on three or four alternating sides, rearranging it towards the center. Braid until you reach the edge, pinch the edge and press neatly under the collar.
Measurement: I provide a cup measurement for convenience, but personally I will accurately test every recipe in grams. Cup conversions are very good and so use a kitchen scale for best results.
calorie: 231kcalcarbohydrates: 45gprotein: 7gfat: 2gSaturated fat: 1gPolyunsaturated fat: 0.5gJanuary Saturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.004gcholesterol: 56mgsodium: 370mgpotassium: 77mgfiber: 1gsugar: 4gVitamin A: 79iucalcium: 16mgiron: 3mg
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