Sourdough Starter

Using Khapli Wheat Flour: Tips To Get It Right

Quick Summary

Sourdough starter typically uses whole wheat or rye flour because both tend to have better nutritional content, something khapli wheat also does, if not more. Better nutritional content speeds up microbial activity (by feeding the natural sugars to ferment them effectively) in the sourdough starter as well. But given that khapli wheat (emmer) behaves a little differently from all-purpose flour and even whole wheat atta, it is advisable to use it mixed with either, at a 50-50 or 70-30 ratio.

Deep Dive

Khapli wheat is the Indian name for emmer (Triticum dicoccum), one of the oldest cultivated cereal grains. It belongs to the same family as spelt and einkorn, the three are collectively known as the farro grains, and have been grown on the Indian subcontinent for millennia. Emmer is an ancient grain that has come to us, in the modern era, virtually unchanged genetically, unlike the hybridised wheat varieties grown commercially today.

The most important thing to know about emmer or khapli wheat in the context of sourdough is this. Khapli contains much less gluten than wheat, and many people who have problems with wheat find they can digest it better, especially when made into sourdough, without problems. That lower gluten content is not a problem for making a starter, but it does significantly change how you handle the dough at the bread stage.

Does Khapli Wheat Actually Work For Sourdough?

The short answer is yes, with more focus on technique. Khapli wheat makes amazingly-flavoured sourdough. It is not, however, easy to get good results with this ancient grain if you use the same bread-making techniques you would use for wheat. A different process is needed. So, make sure to pick quality atta like Aashirvaad Khapli Chakki Khapli Atta.

There is something called spelt flour used for sourdough, but the same starter recipe does not work with khapli wheat. The dough tends to turn out stickier than usual, and the rise isn't as much as needed. Some bakers, after much experimentation, have found that rye bread techniques work well with khapli wheat. For rye bread, barely any kneading is needed, with properties similar to khapli wheat, which requires pre-fermentation and yields a highly hydrated dough.

Khapli Flour Is The Right Choice For A Sourdough  Starter

The wild yeast that gives sourdough starter its life is more likely to be found in the mineral-rich environment of a whole grain flour than in all-purpose flour. This is why whole-grain khapli atta, stone-ground, with the bran intact, is the best starting point. The bran carries the naturally occurring wild yeast and bacteria that will establish your culture.

Whole-grain emmer flour makes a wonderful base for a sourdough starter. However, be prepared for the emmer starter to look a little different from a white-flour one. When you first mix it, it will look like a paste and will also resist water. Keep stirring regularly; the water will mix in, and the starter will become activated.

Building Your Khapli Wheat Sourdough Starter

Before you begin, gather the following ingredients:

• Whole-grain khapli wheat flour (stone-ground; avoid bleached or highly refined varieties)

• Clean water is fine; tap water is fine, but it is best to let it stand for half an hour or so before use so that any chlorine can evaporate, as chlorine in the water can hamper the reproduction of the wild yeast in the starter.

• A clean glass jar or bowl (glass is ideal, easier to see activity)

• A kitchen scale

• A rubber band or tape to mark the starter level at each feeding

Day 1

Combine flour and water in your container, then stir thoroughly until there are no dry floury patches on the bottom or sides. Cover the container loosely and let the mixture sit at warm room temperature for 24 hours. A ratio of 50g khapli wheat flour to 50g water is a reliable starting point.

Day 2 

You may see no activity at all in the first 24 hours, or a bit of growth or bubbling. Either way, proceed to the feeding stage. Discard most of the mixture, keeping about 50g, then feed with fresh flour and water.

Days 3-4

Discard and feed. For the first feed of day three, increase the feed by adding fresh flour and water and stir to mix. At this point, your starter should be bubbly and ready to develop further. If the starter is not showing bubbles, repeat the feeding routine and ensure the starter is kept in a warm place.

This is also when discard becomes useful. Rather than throwing it away, use it immediately; the discard from days 3 onwards works well in pancake batter, flatbreads, or cheela. See the discard recipe below.

Days 5-6

Continue the discard-and-feed cycle. Around 20°C is ideal for building a sourdough starter if you can manage it. In hot weather, use cold water to slow fermentation (highly recommended). For Indian kitchens in summer, this means working with cooler water, not warmer.

Once the starter has become visibly active and bubbly, you can start the process of discarding and feeding the culture to bring it to stable maturation, tip out most of the mixture, leaving about 2-3 teaspoons behind, then add fresh flour and water and stir.

Day 7

Your starter is ready to use when it reliably doubles in size within a few hours of feeding, has a domed peak, and smells yeasty and sour. Watch the dough, not the clock; it's ready to shape when it has visibly increased in size, feels a bit light and airy, and shows some bubbles under the surface. The same logic applies to the starter itself.

Tips To Get It Right

The biggest technical challenge with khapli wheat at the bread-baking stage is its sticky, high-hydration dough. Khapli wheat flour is high in protein and has excellent flavour, but yields low-quality gluten, which means the dough will be slack and requires adapted handling. These tips address both the starter-building stage and the transition to baking:

• Treat emmer like rye, not wheat. In European kitchens, to get good results with emmer, they employ the same techniques used for rye bread: no kneading, a pre-ferment, and a very high-hydration dough.

• Use a pre-ferment for the bread stage. This bread needs to be started the night before you wish to bake it. At that time, you create a pre-ferment, which is left on the counter overnight before mixing the main dough in the morning.

• Your starter can be any grain. Although the bread can be 100% wholegrain emmer flour, it will work with a sourdough starter made from any flour. So if you already have a rye or wheat starter, you can use it directly to bake with khapli flour.

• Watch for these signs that the pre-ferment is ready. It should be visibly expanded, and smell fermented, the bowl should sound hollow when you knock the side of it, and you may see tiny pin holes on the top of the surface. If you dig a spoon into it, you should find a honeycomb-style network of holes.

• Don't skip the discard. Unless you discard the starter at some point, eventually you'll end up with a very large container of starter. Also, keeping the total volume of starter down offers the yeast more food to eat each time you feed it.

• Temperature matters more than frequency. As long as the climate is reasonably comfortable for you, it will be okay for your starter while it's developing. In Indian summer kitchens, use cooler water; in winter, find a warm corner but avoid placing the jar directly over heat.

• Blending khapli with a stronger flour is a good option for the loaf. Emmer is relatively low in gluten, meaning it lacks the rising potential of wheat flour. Many bakers prefer to mix it with a higher-protein bread flour, which gives both more rise and makes the dough easier to shape. Substituting 25-40% emmer flour for wheat flour in a recipe is sufficient to retain its flavour without ruining your bread.

What Else To Make With Your Khapli Sourdough Starter

The starter and its discard extend to preparations beyond the standard bread loaf. There are quite a few uses for discard starter, including pizza crust, pretzels, waffles, and it can even go into a chocolate cake.

Discard Recipe: Simple Khapli Sourdough Pancakes

From Day 3 onwards, you will have a daily discard. Rather than discarding it entirely, use it in this quick breakfast:

Ingredients:

• Khapli sourdough discard: 100 g

• Khapli atta: 50 g

• Egg (or yoghurt, 2 tbsp for egg-free version): 1 egg

• Baking soda: ½ tsp

• Salt: a pinch

• Milk or water: as needed to adjust consistency

• Ghee or butter: for cooking 

Method: Whisk all the ingredients into a batter that is pourable. Cook on a medium-hot tawa, flipping once the surface sets. Serve with jaggery, fresh fruit, or a savoury green chutney. The discard's natural acidity produces a very light, airy texture.

Storing and Maintaining Your Khapli Starter Long-Term

Once active, your khapli sourdough starter requires minimal maintenance. Once your starter is reliably doubling in size after each feeding, it is healthy, active, and ready to move onto maintenance mode, kept at room temperature with daily feedings, or in the refrigerator with weekly feedings. For weekly refrigerator maintenance: remove the jar, bring to room temperature for an hour or two, discard half, feed with fresh khapli flour and water, wait for signs of activity, then return to the fridge. Your starter will increase in strength and maturity as it ages.