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Khara bun
Onion and chilli bakery buns
ಖಾರ ಬನ್: soft Iyengar bakery buns baked with onion, green chilli, ginger and curry leaves (plus 1½ hours rising)
Every Iyengar bakery in Bengaluru has a tray of khara buns by the counter, the savoury cousin of the sweet bun, eaten warm with strong filter coffee or packed for an evening snack. The soft, milky dough is speckled with raw onion, green chilli, ginger, coriander and curry leaves, which steam inside the bun and give it a gentle heat and a lovely smell. The common mistake is adding the chopped onion at the start of kneading: its juice slackens the dough and it turns sticky. Knead the dough smooth first, then work in the vegetables at the end. Chef's tip: brush the buns with butter the moment they come out of the oven and cover them with a cloth for 10 minutes; the steam keeps the crust soft like the bakery ones.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz plain flour (maida)
- ¼ oz instant dried yeast
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ cup warm milk
- ½ cup warm water
- 1 ⅜ oz soft butter
For the masala
- 1 onionvery finely chopped
- 3 green chilliesfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp fresh gingerfinely chopped
- 3 tbsp fresh corianderfinely chopped
- 12 curry leavesfinely chopped
To finish
- 2 tbsp milkfor brushing
- 1 tbsp melted butter
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix 14 oz plain flour (maida), ¼ oz instant dried yeast, 2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt in a large bowl. Add ¾ cup warm milk and ½ cup warm water and bring together into a shaggy dough.
3 minStep 2: Knead for 8 minutes, then work in 1 ⅜ oz soft butter and knead for another 4-5 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and stretches thin without tearing.
13 minStep 3: Flatten the dough, scatter over 1 onion, 3 green chillies, 1 tbsp fresh ginger, 3 tbsp fresh coriander and 12 curry leaves, fold it over and knead for 2 minutes until evenly speckled. It will feel a little wetter; dust with a pinch of flour only if it sticks badly.
3 minStep 4: Cover and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size. A floured finger pressed in should leave a dent that springs back slowly.
Step 5: Divide into 10 pieces, shape each into a tight, smooth ball and set them 2 cm apart in a greased 23 x 33 cm tin. Cover and prove for 30 minutes until puffy and touching. Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan).
8 minStep 6: Brush with 2 tbsp milk and bake for 18-20 minutes until deep golden on top; the base should sound hollow when tapped.
20 minStep 7: Brush immediately with 1 tbsp melted butter, cover with a clean cloth and leave for 10 minutes before pulling apart. Serve warm.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does khara bun take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of plain flour (maida)?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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