Stuffed Curry Bun Recipe, Paneer Stuffed Curry Bun

Bakery style Home made curry bun recipe from scratch with a creamy paneer filling. With step by step pictures. Stuffed Bun.

This recipe came into being during a contest conducted for Julia Child’s 100th birthday. And you all know who won. I did these buns for the contest and topped with Julia Child’s name printed in dough. After we moved back to India, I ran a baking and catering business for a couple of years and this recipe was the most ordered item for parties. I must have done countless batches of curry buns in my life. My husband and son love these stuffed buns. They used to sneak one or two from the catering order as I always baked more. Vinodh said that he misses these and I realized that its been quite a while since I baked these super delicious stuffed buns. So today my secret recipe is out for my dear readers of KC. Enjoy!

There are a few things that make a good stuffed bun. The bun needs to be super soft. The key to a good soft bun is a moist dough. Its no rocket science. If your dough is soft, your bread will be soft. If your dough is dry, your resultant bread will also be super dry. So the recipe will work well if you stick to the proportions mentioned. Yes its that simple. Just follow the recipe.

For the filling Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and add in Italian herb seasoning, finely chopped onion and crushed garlic. Fry till the onions are soft.

Add in a finely chopped tomato, salt and red chilli powder. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked and dry. Once the tomatoes are dry, add in the flour and sauté for a minute. Then add in the cream and cook for a minute more until all the cream is absorbed into the mixture.

Add in the small cubed paneer and mix well to combine. Switch off the flame and add in the coriander leaves and the vinegar. Mix well to combine. Make 16 balls out of the mixture. Set aside.

For the BUN! Take a big bowl and add in the luke warm water. Hot water will kill the yeast. So let the water be just warm to the touch. Add in the sugar and the yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. Then, add in all the rest of the ingredients and start kneading. I kneaded in my kitchen aid in medium speed for a good 7 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for a good 12-13 minutes. The trick in kneading is to avoid the temptation of adding flour. Too much flour alters the moisture content and will result in a dry bun. If kneading by hand, don’t add all the flour at once while starting to knead. Save a cup of flour and use it while kneading. Its going to be a very sticky dough.

The dough should be soft, stretchy and a little sticky at the end of kneading. Its a very moist dough. Don’t worry if the dough is tacky.

Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise until doubled in a warm draft free place. It should take about 2 hours. It might take more or less time depending on where you live. Once the dough has almost doubled, gently deflate the dough on a floured kitchen counter and divide the dough into 16 pieces. Dust flour on the work surface. Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Set aside and let it rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten.

Dust the work surface with flour. Flatten each dough ball and keep the filling in the center. Press and seal the edges by crimping with your finger tips.

Gently flatten the bun and place the bun seam side down on a parchment lined sheet pan. Cover the buns and let them rise for about half an hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C Brush all the risen buns with egg white / egg wash. Sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of each bun.

Bake the buns for 20 minutes until golden. Rotate the sheet pan in the oven after 10 minutes for even baking.

Remove the buns from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Note: After baking for the specified time, if the buns are not browned well, set the oven in broil mode and bake the buns for 30-60 seconds until the top of the bun is golden. Many readers have written to me that they broil it at the end to get the desired brown colour in Indian OTG.

For the Filling

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian Herb Seasoning
• 1 Onion
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Tomato
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1/2 cup Cream (I used Amul Cream)
• 200 grams Paneer
• 4 sprigs Coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon Vinegar

For the Bun

• 1 1/4 cup Lukewarm Water
• 2 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 Egg plus 1 Egg Yolk
• 3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1 teaspoon Salt

For the Bun Topping

• 1 Egg White beaten well for Egg Wash
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

For the Filling

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and add in Italian herb seasoning, finely chopped onion and crushed garlic. Fry till the onions are soft.
2. Add in a finely chopped tomato, salt and red chilli powder. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked and dry. Once the tomatoes are dry, add in the flour and sauté for a minute. Then add in the cream and cook for a minute more until all the cream is absorbed into the mixture.
3. Add in the small cubed paneer and mix well to combine. Switch off the flame and add in the coriander leaves and vinegar. Mix well to combine. Make 16 balls out of the mixture. Set aside.

For the Bun

1. Take a big bowl and add in the luke warm water. Add in the sugar and the yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. Then, add in all the rest of the ingredients and start kneading. I kneaded in my kitchen aid in medium speed for a good 7 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for a good 12-13 minutes.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise until doubled in a warm draft free place. It should take about 2 hours. It might take more or less time depending on where you live. Once the dough has almost doubled, gently deflate the dough on the kitchen counter and divide the dough into 16 pieces. Dust flour on the work surface. Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Set aside and let it rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten.
3. Dust the work surface with flour. Flatten each dough ball and keep the filling in the center. Press and seal the edges by crimping with your finger tips.
4. Gently flatten the bun and place the bun seam side down on a parchment lined sheet pan. Cover the buns and let them rise for about half an hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

For the Bun Topping

1. Brush all the risen buns with egg white / egg wash. Sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of each bun.
2. Bake the buns for 20 minutes until golden. Rotate the sheet pan in the oven after 10 minutes for even baking.
3. Remove the buns from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Bread
• Cuisine: Indian

For the Filling

• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon Italian Herb Seasoning
• 1 Onion
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Tomato
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1/2 cup Cream (I used Amul Cream)
• 200 grams Paneer
• 4 sprigs Coriander leaves
• 1 teaspoon Vinegar

For the Bun

• 1 1/4 cup Lukewarm Water
• 2 tablespoon Sugar
• 1 tablespoon Active Dry Yeast
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 1 Egg plus 1 Egg Yolk
• 3 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour (Maida)
• 1 teaspoon Salt

For the Bun Topping

• 1 Egg White beaten well for Egg Wash
• 1 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

For the Filling

1. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan and add in Italian herb seasoning, finely chopped onion and crushed garlic. Fry till the onions are soft.
2. Add in a finely chopped tomato, salt and red chilli powder. Fry till the tomatoes are cooked and dry. Once the tomatoes are dry, add in the flour and sauté for a minute. Then add in the cream and cook for a minute more until all the cream is absorbed into the mixture.
3. Add in the small cubed paneer and mix well to combine. Switch off the flame and add in the coriander leaves and vinegar. Mix well to combine. Make 16 balls out of the mixture. Set aside.

For the Bun

1. Take a big bowl and add in the luke warm water. Add in the sugar and the yeast and set aside for 5 minutes. Then, add in all the rest of the ingredients and start kneading. I kneaded in my kitchen aid in medium speed for a good 7 minutes. If kneading by hand, knead for a good 12-13 minutes.
2. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and let it rise until doubled in a warm draft free place. It should take about 2 hours. It might take more or less time depending on where you live. Once the dough has almost doubled, gently deflate the dough on the kitchen counter and divide the dough into 16 pieces. Dust flour on the work surface. Shape each piece of dough into a smooth ball. Set aside and let it rest for 5 minutes to relax the gluten.
3. Dust the work surface with flour. Flatten each dough ball and keep the filling in the center. Press and seal the edges by crimping with your finger tips.
4. Gently flatten the bun and place the bun seam side down on a parchment lined sheet pan. Cover the buns and let them rise for about half an hour. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.

For the Bun Topping

1. Brush all the risen buns with egg white / egg wash. Sprinkle a tablespoon of shredded cheese on top of each bun.
2. Bake the buns for 20 minutes until golden. Rotate the sheet pan in the oven after 10 minutes for even baking.
3. Remove the buns from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 4 hours
• Cook Time: 20 mins
• Category: Bread
• Cuisine: Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/stuffed-bun/

Recipe for Coimbatore Hotel Annapoorna Sambar. Recipe as told by a cook who worked in the hotel for 27 years. With step by step pictures and video.

I get at least a couple of mails a month asking for Annapoorna sambar recipe as I am from Coimbatore. Everyone in Coimbatore loves the food from this iconic Annapoorna hotel. I am no different. Their Sambar is one of the best. I had tried different recipes but could not nail it. Then this happened. I was talking about my sambar quest to Prema akka (Vinodhs aunt) and she told she knows someone who can give us the recipe. She told me that one Mr. Palinisamy had worked as a cook in their house in the 80’s before moving to Annapoorna as a chef. She told me that she will definitely get hold of him for me. And she did. I met him at a function recently where he was in charge of the kitchen. Mr. Palanisamy is a dhoti clad chef with prominent brown eyes and a big mustache. His eyes are very unique. You will never forget him once you have met him. As soon as I met him, we started talking. He told that he started cooking at the age of 12. He worked at the hotel for 27 years. He now runs his own food and catering service at Coimbatore. His food rocks. If you are in Coimbatore and have a party at home, try Mr. Palanisamy’s food. You can contact Mr. Palanisamy, Sai Baba catering. His phone number 9940888764 , 8270643720 . His food is as good as home cooked food. If you are having a party in Coimbatore, this is the number you need to be calling.

Video Recipe of Coimbatore Annapoorna Hotel Style Sambar

A note on the quantity of vegetables to the dal. We are going to use half a cup of toor dal for this recipe, which is 125 ml or roughly about 100 grams. We need to use 200 grams of drumstick for this recipe. About 2 drumsticks.

Wash and soak 1/2 a cup of toor dal in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Pressure cook the dal with the water for 6 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Use the back of the tumbler to mash the dal. Set the dal aside to a bowl.

In another cooker, add in the drumsticks, diced onion, diced shallots (small onion) and tomatoes. Add one cup of water, a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of turmeric. Cook for 4 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Set aside.

Now for the Sambar Masala Get all the ingredients listed below ready before you proceed. We will need a dozen ingredients namely coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, fenugreek seeds, chana dal, urad dal, curry leaves, dry red chillies, asafoetida, coconut, jaggery and the tamarind. A note on jaggery and tamarind. The quantity of jaggery and tamarind has to be equal.

Heat oil in a pan and add in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, fenugreek seeds, chana dal and urad dal. Fry for a minute. Once the chana dal is brown, add in the curry leaves, dry red chillies, asafoetida, coconut, jaggery and the tamarind. Fry for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

Grind the mixture with half a cup of water to a paste. Let the paste be very slightly coarse. Set aside.

Take a heavy bottomed pan and add in the ground masala and one cup of water. Let it come to a boil on medium flame. Once its boiling, add in the cooked vegetables along with the water used for cooking. Add in the salt. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes on medium flame. Add in the cooked dal and let it continue to boil for 2-3 minutes.

When the dal is cooking, we will do the tempering for the sambar. Heat oil in a kadai and add in the mustard seeds when the oil is hot. Add in the curry leaves and switch off the flame. Add in 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder and immediately pour it on the sambar. The red chilli powder might burn if kept in the oil for too long. So have an eye on the kadai. Add in the coriander leaves and a tablespoon of ghee. Switch off the flame.

Coimbatore Annapoorna Style Hotel Tiffin Sambar is ready!

Measurments Used – 1 Cup = 250 ml

For Dal

• 1/2 cup Toor Dal
• 2 Cups Water

For Veggies

• 2 Drumsticks
• 1 onion, diced
• 10 shallots (small onions), diced
• 1 Large Tomato, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 cup water

For Sambar Masala

• 2 teaspoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
• 2 teaspoon coriander seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 5 black pepper corn
• 5 fenugreek seeds
• 2 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 tablespoon urad dal
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 3 dried red chillies (gundu variety)
• 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing)
• 3 tablespoon fresh shredded coconut
• 1 1/2 teaspoon jaggery
• gooseberry size tamarind

Other ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 stalks coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon ghee

For Tempering

• 1 teaspoon Indian sesame oil (gingely oil)
• 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
• 2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

For Dal

1. Wash and soak 1/2 a cup of toor dal in 2 cups of water for 20 minutes. Pressure cook the dal with the water for 6 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Set aside.

For Veggies

1. In another cooker add in the drumsticks, diced onion, diced shallots (small onion) and tomatoes. Add one cup of water, a teaspoon of salt and a teaspoon of turmeric. Cook for 4 whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure in the cooker to release naturally. Set aside.

For Sambar Masala

1. Heat oil in a pan and add in the coriander seeds, cumin seeds, pepper, fenugreek seeds, chana dal, urad dal. Fry for a minute. Once the chana dal is brown, add in the curry leaves, dry red chillies, asafoetida, coconut, jaggery and the tamarind. Fry for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
2. Grind the mixture with half a cup of water to a paste. Let the paste be very slightly coarse. Set aside.

For the Sambar

1. Take a heavy bottomed pan and add in the ground masala and one cup of water. Let it come to a boil on medium flame. Once its boiling, add in the cooked vegetables along with the water used for cooking. Add in the salt. Let it boil for 2-3 minutes on medium flame. Add in the cooked dal and let it continue to boil for 2-3 minutes.

For Tempering

1. Heat oil in a kadai and add in the mustard seeds when the oil is hot. Add in the curry leaves and switch off the flame. Add in 1/2 teaspoon of red chilli powder and immediately pour it on the sambar. The red chilli powder might burn if kept in the oil for too long. So have an eye on the kadai. Add in the coriander leaves and a tablespoon of ghee. Switch off the flame.

• Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 30 mins
• Category: Side Dish
• Cuisine: South Indian, Tamilnadu