Damper

Damper is an Australian tradition. It's a true bush food, simple and easy to make and filling enough to keep the hungriest bush walker going. It's a basic bread recipe, not unlike some of those that I made in India.

The traditional version of damper is made with self-raising flour, salt and water which is mixed into a stiff sough and then wrapped and baked in an open fire.

The version that I've reproduced below adds a couple more ingrediants. What is lost in authenticity is (sort of) made up for in taste. Damper certainly isn't the best tasting bread in the world, but it does have a real camping charm to it.

What you need

• 3 cups self-raising flour
• 1-2 teaspoons of salt
• 90g melted butter
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• An oven at 210C

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl. Throw everything else in and mix with a knife. Chuck it onto a floured surface and roughly knead for 20 seconds or so.

Chuck it into the oven for 10 minutes, before turning the heat down to 180C. Cook for another 15 minutes or so, or until browned on top and it sounds hollow when you tap the base.

If you want to go poncy, you can also glaze the top of the damper with milk and dust it with a little extra flour. The old bush men will be turning in their graves...