Poee or poie is a leavened bread baked by the traditional bakers called poders in Goa, India, where it is a staple food.[1] It has characteristics similar to a pita bread, notably that it is round, soft, and has a pocket.[2] Coconut palm wine or toddy was traditionally used for the fermenting process but yeast is now used in commercial production.[3] [4] The bread is made from half-maida and half-whole wheat flour.
Bread is a significant part of Goan cuisine, introduced by the Portuguese in the early 17th century.[5] [6] According to Chef Hussain Shahzad, Goa is the only state in India with traditional leavened breads.[7] According to Vogue India, in 2018 poee was becoming increasingly popular outside of Goa. Ross poee, a dish of an omelet, xacuti and poee, is a typical item of Goan home cooking.[8]
Poee traditionally was prepared by fermenting it with toddy for two days, rolling it into a ball, flattening it, and baking it on the floor of a wood-fired oven.[9] This differentiates it from pao, which uses the same dough but is baked in a pan. Baking time is two minutes; in professional bakeries, poee is generally baked before pao because it requires hotter temperatures.