Masala stuffed whole wheat buns

I had a desire to make these stuffed buns for long time. But I was avoiding it as I wasn't confident if I could make soft buns with wheat flour. Thanks to my friend  Lalita Sundari who introduced me to this amazing whole wheat pastry flour. This flour is meant for making pie crusts, cookies, and cakes. This flour also makes an excellent pizza crust, but I was afraid to make bread as it does not work well with yeast. But thanks to the internet which gave me an idea of adding a commercial agent called vital wheat gluten. Vital wheat gluten is used by the commercial bakers for making soft and fluffy breads. There are also other ingredients that could be added to the the wheat flour to make the bread soft- honey, milk and butter. 

Ingredients

For bun

• 1.5 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
• 1 tsp ajwain (carrom seeds)
• 1.5 tsp kasuri methi, fine crushed between palms (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp olive oil/ butter
• 2 -4 tbsp honey
• 1.5 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tsp active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup luke warm milk
• 1/2 cup luke warm water (or as required for kneading the dough)
• Melted unsalted butter for brushing
• Flour for dusting

Filling

• 1cup finely chopped Cabbage
• 2 potatoes
• 1 cup carrots, beans and peas (together)
• a generous pinch of asafetida 
• 1 tsp cumin  seeds 
• 1tsp coriander powder 
• 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp Garam masala powder
• 1/4 tsp MDH Sambar masala powder
• 1tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• Coriander leaves ( cilantro) to garnish

Method:

Dough:
Dissolve sugar in lukewarm milk, add yeast and set aside for 5 minutes until frothy.

Mix the flour, ajwain, kasoori methi, salt, oil/ butter, honey and salt in a bowl. Add the milk once the yeast becomes frothy and start kneading the dough with lukewarm water as needed. 

Once the dough starts coming together, transfer the dough to the floured surface and continue to knead the dough for 5-10 minutes or until it becomes soft and elastic. 

Transfer the dough to an oil greased bowl and cover it with a damp cloth and leave it in a damp place. 


Fillling:
While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Boil the potatoes. Boil the carrots beans and peas separately. 

Heat the oil in pan. Add cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds cracks add the cabbage and asafetida and fry them until translucent. Then add the all the spice powder and fry them for a minute in medium flame. 

Then add the boiled and mashed veggies. Add salt and cook them for 5 minutes.

 Turn down the heat and add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Allow the filling to cool down.


Rolling and Stuffing:
After an hour the dough would have doubled in size. Gently knead the dough again and divide them into 8 equal balls. Line a baking tray with parchment sheet and spray some oil and arrange the rolls with enough space for them to expand. 

Roll the filling about approximately half the size of the rolls. Now the rolls would have risen a little bit. Flatten the rolls between your palm and place the filling balls and close them by pinching the sides to the centre.

Place the stuffed rolls on the greased tray with the pinched side facing downwards. Brush some milk and cover it with food film.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. The rolls would have risen a little bit when the oven is heated. Bake them for 15-20 minutes until the buns turn golden brown.

As soon as you remove the buns from the oven brush them with butter.

Serve the buns warm with your favorite spicy tangy chutney.