Friday, May 1, 2020

Masala buns - iyengar bakery style


Ingredients:
Bun
Flour- 2 1/2 cup (50/50 wheat flour and all-purpose flour)
active dry yeast - 1 1/2 tbsp
milk - 1/2 cup
water- 3/4 cup
sugar- 1 tsp
kasoori methi- 1 tbsp
Ajwain seeds- 1/2 tsp
salt- 1/2 tsp
oil - 3 tbsp

Bun filling

potatoes- 3
carrot- 1
green beans- 10
cabbage, chopped- 1/2 cup
ginger, grated- 1 tsp
oil- 2 tbsp
asafoetida- 1/4 tsp
turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
coriander powder- 1 tsp
chili powder- 1/2 tsp
sambar powder- 1/2 tsp
curry powder- 1/2 tsp
dry mango powder- 1 tsp
cumin seeds- 1 tsp
curry leaves- 1 string
coriander leaves, chopped- 2 tbsp




Method:

Dough


  • Warm the milk and water. Dissolve the dry yeast and sugar in it and set it aside for 5-10 minutes until it becomes frothy.  
  • Mix the flour, salt, kasoori methi, and ajwain seeds oil in a bowl. Add the frothy mix and yeast mixture and start kneading the dough with warm water.  
  • Knead the dough well for 10 minutes. transfer the dough to a greased bowl and cover it. Allow the dough to rise for an hour.
Filling
  • In the meantime steam the chopped potatoes carrots and green beans. 
  • Heat some oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds to crackle. Add ginger and curry leaves and saute it for a few seconds and then add the chopped cabbage and asafoetida and saute them until the cabbage turns golden brown. 
  • Then add turmeric, coriander powder, chili powder, curry powder, sambar masala, dry mango powder and saute them for a minute. 
  • Add the boiled veggies to the pan and mash them. Add salt and saute them well for 5 minutes to make sure that all water from the vegetables has been evaporated. 
  • Turn off the heat and sprinkle some coriander leaves and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.

Rolling and stuffing 
  • After an hour when the dough has doubled its size, punch and knead the dough again on a surface dusted with flour. knead for 5 minutes.
  • Divide the dough into 10 equal parts. 
  • Line the baking tray with parchment sheet and dust it with some flour and arrange the rolls with enough space to expand.
  • Roll the filling about 3/4 size of the roll and stuff it into the rolls. The rolls would have risen a little bit. Flatten the rolls on your palm and place the filling in the middles and close them by pinching the sides. 
  • Place the stuffed rolls on the baking tray with the pinched side the rolls facing downwards.
  • Brush some oil and cover the rolls and allow it to rise for 10 minutes
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Brush some milk on the rolls and bake them for 15-20 minutes until the buns turn golden brown
  • As soon as you remove the buns from the oven immediately brush them with oil or butter. This makes the buns to remain soft once it cools down. 
  • Allow the buns to cool and serve them with your favorite chutney.

Saturday, April 11, 2020

Capsicum Masala rice / Bellpepper rice


Ingredients
Colored Capsicum chopped- 1 cup
Cabbage chopped- 1/2 cup
Basmati rice - 1 cup, uncooked
Ghee-5 tbsp
mustard seeds- 1 tsp
Curry leaves- 1 string
ginger- 1 inch
turmeric powder- 1/2 tsp
Garam masala- 1/2 tsp
hing- 1/4 tsp
coriander leaves to garnish
salt to taste

To roast and grind
coriander seeds- 1 tsp
cumin seeds- 1 tsp
urad dal- 1 tsp
chana dal 1 tsp
red chilies-
black pepper- 1/2 tsp
clove- 2
cinnamon- 1 stick, an inch
peanuts- 2 tbsp
Marathi moggu- 1
hing- 1 pinch
ghee- 1 tsp


Method

  • Cook basmati rice separately with 2 tbsp of ghee and salt
  • Heat 1 tsp of ghee and roast the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, chana dal, red chilies, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, peanuts, marathi moggu and hing. Cool and grind the spices and set it aside.
  • Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a pan.
  • Add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds splutter, add hing, curry leaves, and ginger, and saute is a little bit and then add chopped cabbage.
  • Saute the cabbage until it becomes translucent. Now add the chopped capsicum(bell peppers). Add salt and saute it until it becomes soft. Make sure not to overcook the capsicum. 
  • Now add the ground spice mixture and garam masala and the cooked rice.
  • Turn the gas to low flame and mix the rice, capsicum and the spice mixture. Handle with care not to break the rice.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves and serve it with raita of your choice!