Hey coyoteblonde how did your next one go! ! ! I'm trying to get one started soon, supposed to start the other day, but still hav'nt. Might cook off potato now and mix together before I go to sleep. Wish me luck. Hope you had better success this time.
crystalmoon,
Apr 16, 3:26am
Hi All, Started my bug last night, did potato in water, meashed, cooled to luke warm and added the flour and sugar. Have place in hot water cupboard and now patiently waiting. Had a look this morning, nothing. Had another look this afternoon and seems to be a few little bubbles happening. Do I just wait till more bubbles and am I supposed to feed it anything while I wait. Thanks for any help. Cheers
crystalmoon,
Apr 16, 7:38am
I am using the recipe by elliehen, just had another look, seems to be more little bubbles, will leave till morning. has'nt doubled in size though. Please any help would be great.
andrea1978,
Apr 17, 12:15am
Alternatively where can we buy good rewena bread from? When I was in a Maori culture group at school we had the best rewena bread (i'm not sure who made it and it wasn't in Auckland anyway). The bread I've bought up here in Auckland pales in comparison and is often quite expensive to add insult to injury! I also heard someone sells it at Avondale Markets but a friend said it was no good. So does anyone know where you can buy good rewena bread in Auckland? (Fingers crossed! )
:)
crystalmoon,
Apr 17, 3:05am
Well its bubbling away nicley, will wait one more day and add flour tomorrow. Hope thats right, did'n add anything to it in the end. hope its still ok tomorrow, will be day 3.
homelygirl0011,
Apr 17, 5:01am
I just use the water left over from boiling the potatoes, or kumara
crystalmoon,
Apr 18, 9:51am
AAAaaaaahhhhhhh! ! ! ! ! ! I killed it lolz :( Should have done the next step yesterday (day 2) had a nice amount of bubbles happening, slight sour smell going on but thought I'd leave it another day(did'nt add anything as it looked good) and then today when I got home around 10. 30 am the house had a strange smell, did'nt click till I thought oh my starter, went to the hotwater cupboard where I had kept it and the smell was stronger, not pleasant and my starter had lost all its lovely bubbles and gone back to liquid and flour with a very unpleasant smell. So will start again and this time when I see the nice bubbles will try the next step. Trial and error thats the best way to learn lolz. Nyte nyte will try again closer to the weekend again.
crystalmoon,
Apr 23, 2:03am
ok, have started 2nd bug, was nice and bubbly today after 2 days so have added the second measure of flour, now waiting 8 hours to knead and then rise and bake. Must remeber to put some aside again, for next starter. Fingers crossed this one works out. Looks like it will be a late night befor I get bread out of oven lolz :)
crystalmoon,
Apr 24, 7:41am
Well 2nd attemp was alot better. Added starter to second lot of flour, I used all of it not just a pint as it seemed too dry, also added about 1 1/2 cups extra warm water. Then had to add more flour, looked really good when was kneading but still a bit wet, so may have added too much extra water. seemed very heavy. baked off and was very dense. had'nt really risen alot. have taken photo's of most steps so when I finally get it right, will post. Have sliced up and friozen in batch's to have toasted. Will try another batch next weekend and see what happens. Its taste nice jsut very heavy and dense.
m41,
Apr 24, 8:53am
agree the one at the avondale markets isn`t nice or the one a t renui markets heavy oily and crumbly :( i only wish id paid more attension to my auntie whom taught me rewana and fry bread but i wasn`t paying much attension and she`s now passed away so can`t even go back :(
crystalmoon,
Apr 24, 9:02am
hey m41, yes if only we paid more attension to things when being shown. I wish I could turn back the clock on many things, but alas life dos'nt work like that. Let us know if you do find a good seller. Good luck:)
uli,
Jan 5, 4:54am
So how are you all going with your bugs now!
whitehead.,
Jan 5, 5:56am
you will have very sweet tasting bread
whitehead.,
Jan 5, 5:57am
if it does not work its too hot in the cupboard ,let it work on the bench or leave the door open with a tray to catch the drips if it over flows
blambert1977,
Jan 7, 9:32am
Hi rwaioira, I've got a crockpot which I wanna use to bake the rewena in but mine has a glass lid and a plastic knob (guessing not a good idea to use it?Or can I bake it with tin foil as a lid instead?).My kuia used to use an old cast iron pot and when she past away everyone wanted it, ya don't come across them anymore well I haven't anyway :-)
blambert1977,
Jan 7, 10:06am
Ok, so after spending an afternoon reading this whole thread I have decided to start a bug.It's doing it's thing in the hotwater cupboard as I type... wish me luck & yes totally agree wished I'd paid more attention to the Nannies but ya know, dems the breaks sometimes eh :-)
allurs,
Jan 7, 7:30pm
want to start a bug can someone please give some instructions and measurments to a dummy!!!!!
coyoteblonde,
Mar 2, 10:20pm
I'm looking to try my hand at Rewena bread, any recipes you have to share! Any tips for growing the bug!
rwaioira,
Mar 3, 3:02am
I usually keep a bug in the fridge.It has been past over to me from my mum who got it from her mum and so on.But i think all it is is flour and potatoe juice.If you are able to score you a bug from a family member than that will be the easiest way.If you get a bug than just add a bit of flour and a bit of warm water (I use maori potatoe juice cos it makes the bug rise faster and it also has a real rewena bread taste) leave to rise.Once risen than get a bowl of high grade flour and some pure flour mix it together than make a hole in the middle add to it your bug and begin mixing it so it forms a dough keep needing until smooth.Once done than save a little bit and leave in separate container(add a little flour and water to it mix together than put back in the fridge and save it for your next rewena bread, this is called a bug it just keeps going and going)Grease a kohua with heaps of butter including sides and the lid.Put your dough in the kohua and cut a line from one side to the other.Leave to rise again in a warm place until it nearly hits the top.Cook until its brown not golden "brown" or when the bread feels light when you pick it up.Wrap in a wet tea towel cover with a plastic bag than wait until its fully cooled down before cutting.Eat and enjoy hope this helps. Sorry not too sure how to make it with yeast as I always use my bugs.
coyoteblonde,
Mar 3, 4:18am
Thanks, Im going to try and get this bug going, I just started one but for some reason, I have a feeling its not going to work.
We will see tomorrow.
elliehen,
Mar 3, 8:22am
Original Plant for Potato Leaven: 1 & 1/2 pints water, 1 potato, 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon sugar. Boil the potato in 1 & 1/2 pints of unsalted water to mashing consistency, cool to lukewarm. Mix in flour and sugar, pour into quart preserving jar and leave in warm place until it begins to ferment. This could take several days. [Apologies for not doing the metric conversion] Rewena Paraoa (Maori Bread): 6 cups flour, 3 Tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 pint leaven mixture. Mix all ingreds well and leave to prove for 8 hours in covered bowl in warm place. Then knead mixture thoroughly; more flour may be required for firm dough. Put into a warm greased camp oven and warm and grease lid as well and place on top; or put into 2 warmed & greased loaf tins and let rise again in warm place for another 1 & 1/2 hours. Bake at 220*C for 45-50 mins for camp oven bread; bake at 200*C for 45-50 mins for bread in loaf tins. Return a piece of uncooked dough about the size of a tennis ball to the preserving jar and feed alternately with 1/2 teaspoon sugar one day and a little unsalted potato water the next, until the next baking. [From 'Take Our Bread' by Marcelle Pilkinton 1979]
coyoteblonde,
Mar 3, 8:27pm
Well, I got my bug started yesterday, had a look this morning and its bubbling and rising like mad, cant wait to try it!
I used a whole medium organic potato instead of the recommended 3 slices, and accidentally put in a tablespoon of sugar rather than the teaspoon. Time will tell if this was a moment of serendipity.
crystalmoon,
Mar 3, 11:46pm
Hey coyote and rwaioira,do you use the potato as well when making the bug or just the water,Thanks
coyoteblonde,
Mar 4, 1:27am
Yep, potato and the water.
I have to say my bug is so crazy, its really grown and is bubbling and frothing, I think its ready to use already!
Right, thats me, Im off to make my bread- wish me luck! I'll come back and report my success or failure lol
rwaioira,
Mar 4, 8:50am
Yeap I use potatoe and water too.Im sooo glad your bug is going can wait to hear how your bread turns out.Yummy im just baking one right now and can smells it cant wait for tomorrow to have some.
P.S Good Luck coyoteblonde
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