Sometimes I feel this writer's block or an emptiness and dullness that prevents me from enjoying what I love the most. It often happens after I have achieved something I have been working hard for. I guess this time it is my thesis submission. I lost nine months on my thesis when I had carpal tunnel syndrome during my pregnancy. And to make up with the time loss I started working 2 weeks after my delivery. I knew it was tough with a kid- all that typing, reading, cooking plus baby care. But even in the midst of all those chaos I never gave up blogging. Perhaps blogging kept me sane. And finally I submitted my thesis on September 1. I remember people taunting me saying how could I blog when I have not submitted my thesis. I had to disable google plus, prevent myself from posting my posts on FB, lie that I was re-posting old stuff to keep myself guilt free and to continue blogging. It all feels dumb today as to how I succumbed to pressures from others and thought of neglecting this space. When I got back from Chennai, I immersed myself into the Onam sadya. I was happy to have my family around and to finally cook guilt-free but then Onam passed away and my family left. And that's when I first realized I had indeed submitted my thesis. I did not have to panic about deadlines, in fact now I can post all those pending recipes here without being taunted. But then I felt paralyzed like never before. With a thesis not looming over I guess I lost my vigor to blog.
Isn't it weird that when one is free to focus on that one thing you always longed to, and you have more free time than before you cannot do it like you did when you multitask-ed? I guess food blogging is hard work too and is no less a thesis project in itself :)
This recipe is from Ninitha Koya of cucumbertown. Hats off to her my family has found its favourite snack for trips. We tried this twice already once with tuna and the second time with minced meat. The buns with minced meat was prepared for our road trip to Chennai for my submission. Yep, I baked buns the last day, before leaving for Chennai, in between my corrections and packing :).The pics above are not that great because my oven was not functioning properly the day we baked these but the second time they looked awesome but I could not click pics. But this recipe works perfect each time and I am trying them again with chocolate sauce tomorrow. Let's see if I can click pics again.
Ingredients for Tuna Stuffed Buns
Dry instant yeast- 1 tbsp
Warm water- 2 tbsp
Milk- 0.5 cup
Oil- 0.5 cup
Flour- 2.25 cup
Salt- a pinch
Basil or oregano- a dash
Egg- 1
Sugar- 0.25 cup ( I find this too sweet for stuffed buns so I reduced it to half the quantity)
Directions
Boil the milk and let it cool down. Once it cools down add the oil,salt and sugar and set aside. In a bowl add 1/2 to sugar to the yeast and warm water. keep it aside for 10 minutes. Add the yeast mixture to 1 cup of the flour and mix well along with the milk-oil mixture.
Now add the egg and remaining flour and knead the dough for 10 minutes till it forms a ball. Keep the dough in a warm place for an hour until it doubles in volume. Once the dough has risen make small balls out of them. remember the puff up later so make small balls. Make discs out of each balls by flattening them. Add the filling and roll the dough into a ball. Butter the tray to be baked in and place the balls with a little distance in between, this is because while they prove the balls will expand. Sprinkle some herbs on top of the buns at this point. Let the balls rest for 20 minutes (a process also known as proving). Preheat the oven at 180 degrees and bake the buns for 15 minutes. After 10 minutes when the buns start browning take them out do an egg wash ( apply whisked egg whites of 1 egg) and let the buns bake for another 2-3 minutes till the top of the buns brown.
Liquefied stuffing like chocolate sauce and other spreads that's runny might burst when you bake the buns. I prefer a chocolate piece wrapped inside the dough for chocolate buns. My attempt with hershey's syrup as a stuffing flopped today so I would recommend solid stuffing or stuff like jams and peanut butter or cream that has thicker consistency. My favorite will always be meat or tuna :) This is a very easy recipe especially for novices at bread making. The results will definitely motivate you.
Stay tuned for more posts. Till then take care and eat safe.
Now add the egg and remaining flour and knead the dough for 10 minutes till it forms a ball. Keep the dough in a warm place for an hour until it doubles in volume. Once the dough has risen make small balls out of them. remember the puff up later so make small balls. Make discs out of each balls by flattening them. Add the filling and roll the dough into a ball. Butter the tray to be baked in and place the balls with a little distance in between, this is because while they prove the balls will expand. Sprinkle some herbs on top of the buns at this point. Let the balls rest for 20 minutes (a process also known as proving). Preheat the oven at 180 degrees and bake the buns for 15 minutes. After 10 minutes when the buns start browning take them out do an egg wash ( apply whisked egg whites of 1 egg) and let the buns bake for another 2-3 minutes till the top of the buns brown.
Liquefied stuffing like chocolate sauce and other spreads that's runny might burst when you bake the buns. I prefer a chocolate piece wrapped inside the dough for chocolate buns. My attempt with hershey's syrup as a stuffing flopped today so I would recommend solid stuffing or stuff like jams and peanut butter or cream that has thicker consistency. My favorite will always be meat or tuna :) This is a very easy recipe especially for novices at bread making. The results will definitely motivate you.
Stay tuned for more posts. Till then take care and eat safe.