Skillet Cornbread

Ingredients

• 180 g fine yellow cornmeal (or fine makki ka atta)
• 100 g plain flour (maida)
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 300 ml buttermilk, at room temperature
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 60 g unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 20 g unsalted butter, for the skillet

Instructions

1. Put an oven rack in the centre and heat the oven to 220°C (200°C fan). Place the empty skillet on the rack so it heats up with the oven.
2. In a large bowl, whisk the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly mixed.
3. In a jug, whisk the buttermilk and eggs together, then whisk in the 60 g of melted butter until smooth.
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula just until no dry flour remains. The batter should be thick but pourable, and a few small lumps are fine.
5. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes while the skillet finishes heating. The cornmeal will absorb some liquid and the crumb will be softer.
6. Using oven gloves, carefully pull the hot skillet out and add the 20 g of butter. Swirl until it melts and coats the base and sides; it should sizzle.
7. Pour in the batter and spread it level. It should sizzle at the edges. Return the skillet to the oven straight away.
8. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until the top is deep golden, the edges have pulled slightly from the pan and a toothpick in the centre comes out clean.
9. Remove the skillet, keeping a cloth over the hot handle. Rest the cornbread in the pan for 5 minutes, then cut into wedges and serve warm.

Tips

• Heating the skillet first is what gives the cornbread its crisp, golden base. Don't skip it.
• Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until combined, or the cornbread will turn tough.
• Use fine cornmeal for a tender crumb. Coarse cornmeal gives a gritty, more crumbly result.
• The skillet handle stays very hot after baking. Leave a cloth or oven glove on it as a reminder.