Masala Buns / Khara Buns (Mini Savoury Buns)

I tried Bharathys mini savoury buns long back......I like breads and buns very much so cudnt wait to try her buns which was tempting me so much. Her stepwise was so well presented that even a a beginner in baking could go ahead with it. The steps sounds and looks like a very lengthy process, but only the raising time tests our patience or atleast mine ;) I modified the recipe a bit by including wheat flour and reducing APF.....otherwise no major difference. They call it masala buns or khara buns in bakeries and they are little spicy.

Ingredients:

• Wheat/Atta flour - 1 cup (100 gms)
• Maida/APF - 1 cup (100 gms)
• Active dry yeast - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Sesame seeds - 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves - 3 tbsp finely chopped
• Garlic - around 10 minced
• Green Chillies - 1 chopped very finely
• Chilli powder - 1 tsp [optional]
• Butter - 1/2 tbsp

Method :

1. Mix yeast in warm water(have 1 cup) along with sugar and salt. Keep aside undisturbed for 30mins. If you check after 30mins the frothy layer on top will be seen.



2. In a bowl take maida and wheat flour add 1/2 tsp salt to it. Add chopped fresh coriander leaves, chilly powder, greencchillies, minced garlic with melted butter.



3. Mix the flour and spice mixture well, add the frothy yeast water little by little and Knead it to a soft pliable dough. Keep the dough undisturbed for 2hrs near a warm place covered with a slightly wet muslin cloth.



4. After 2 hours, the dough must have doubled in size, punch it once to removed the trapped air. Gently knead it again. Now divide the dough into 8 to 9 equal golf sized balls. Brush melted butter, sprinkle sesame seeds on top.



5. Place the balls on the tray with silver foil/butter paper.Leave it near a warm place for another 30mins to raise a bit.



6. Preheat the oven for 10mins at 200 deg C, place the tray in the oven and bake it for about 35-40 mins.Check if its golden browned thne apply remaining melted butter on top before serving.

The garlic and coriander leaves, fills the house with nice aroma forcing the neighbours eagerly peeping into the kitchen to ask whats cooking in? ;) The warm buns with a cup of coffee was heavenly.

My Notes :

• The dough should be very soft closely to the texture of the chapathi dough. Dont add the full 3/4 cup of the frothy yeast solution. Add it little by little till its combined to a soft pilable dough.



• Place the dough to raise near the stove which is cooking. As its warm throughout, the dough gets nicely raised.If there is no froth in ur yeast solution then ur yeast is not fresh/active, the dough will not raise as expected, so be very careful in checking the brand and expiry date of the yeast while buying.



• I added more garlic as I like them, you can reduce if you dont like garlic much.The buns were slightly crispy on the base and top while they were very soft on the inside.



• I added half of maida and atta so the baking time differes from the orginal recipe as usually atta flour takes more time to bake. If you are using maida completely then 30 mins must be enough.



• I have tried these buns twice, once completely with maida and the second time with half and half of maida and wheat flour .If you are using wheat flour the buns are little hard compared to the fully maida buns, on the healthier side I compromised to the texture, but tastewise both are very tempting and got emptied in a jiffy. If you want a very soft crusty buns go ahead with maida fully.



• Keep the tray in the middle to ensure even cooking and browning of the buns.Keep an eye after 30mins, check if the buns are golden browned and cooked inside using a fork/toothpick then proceed with another 5-10mins.