Kalonji jeera buns with nigella seeds and cumin seeds for flavour. Learn the secret to make homemade eggless buns with step by step pictures and video.
I had this bun last year in SQ and really loved the flavours of cumin seeds and nigella seeds (kalonji seeds) in the bun.
Wanted to try it out at home. I have never bought or used kalonji seeds in my cooking so far. If a recipe calls for it, I usually skip it.
But just to try the seeds in my cooking I got this. It's been few months since I bought it.
I once used in achari paneer that's it. After that used it in these nigella seeds bun.
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Tips
Yeast freshness : For baking buns successfully, good quality, 'active' yeast is very important. Otherwise, your buns wont be golden , turns pale and even smells like yeast. So, buy fresh stock of yeast.
Type of yeast: I have used active dry yeast here, you can use instant yeast too, but the procedure is different.
You need Instant yeast in less quantity than active dry yeast and proofing step is not necessary. Instant yeast can be directly added to flour, rather than dissolving in milk and adding.
Substitution
Can I use wheat flour instead of all purpose flour (maida) for baking buns?
Yes! If using fully wheat flour, I strongly suggest using vital gluten (Bob's Red Mill brand).
This will ensure no compromise in texture. Otherwise, you can make with equal ratios of wheat flour and maida. No change in procedure.
Serving suggestion:
- With butter as breakfast
- Dinner - serve with soup
- Bake as burger buns
- Perfect in Snack box
Recipe card
Soft Kalonji jeera pull apart buns
Equipments (Amazon Affiliate links)
Ingredients
- 1 & ½ cups All purpose flour maida
- ½ cup Milk
- ¼ cup Oil/ melted butter
- 2 teaspoon Active dry yeast
- 1 tablespoon Sugar
- ¾ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 2 teaspoon Nigella seeds Kalonji seeds
- Milk and butter for brushing
Instructions
Proofing yeast:
- Heat milk to make it luke warm.
- Add sugar and yeast to it and stir to completely dissolve the yeast.
- Keep aside for 10 mins. It will turn frothy and raise little. This means yeast is active. If not, discard this and start over with good quality active dry yeast.
- I added salt to the mixture (have done this earlier in all recipes, haven't encountered any issues) but recently heard salt can kill certain yeast. So better to mix with flour.
Dough preparation:
- In a mixing bowl, mix salt, flour and make a dent. Mix oil with the yeast mixture and add it to the dent. Add cumin seeds and half the kalonji seeds. (I very slightly roasted both cumin and kalonji, not much though)
- Make a dough out of it by kneading well for 5 minutes.
Rising:
- Oil the surface of the dough and keep it covered with a cling wrap or damp cloth.
- After an hour, the dough should have risen well, double the volume before. Punch it down and knead again for 5 minutes.
Baking:
- Divide into 8 equal sized balls, arrange in a well greased 6.5 inch round baking pan.
- Keep aside for 10 mins and preheat the oven at 190 deg C. After 10 mins, the buns would have risen little more.
- Brush generously with milk. Sprinkle the rest of the kalonji seeds over the buns.
- Bake for 17- 20 mins or until golden crust is formed on the top. Mine took 18 mins.
- Take it out and brush generously with butter while it is hot. Loosen the sides by running a bread knife along the sides.
- Invert over a wire rack carefully. If the buns are baked properly, it should come out easily without sticking to the bottom.
Video
Notes
- The first step of dissolving yeast in warm milk and leaving it for 10 mins to froth is called proofing the yeast. If frothing or raising doesn't happen, discard the mixture and start over with good quality yeast.
- Do not add yeast to hot milk. It will not work. It should be luke warm. Make sure to dissolve the yeast well too.
- Adding sugar to milk helps in giving a start to yeast. so just follow it.
- The dough should be on sticky side to get soft texture and crust. If the dough is tight, it will not be soft.
- Generous milk wash is very important for golden crust as well as soft crust.
- Brushing with butter while it is hot generously also softens the crust.
- Though I roasted the cumin and nigella seeds, You can add as such too.
- Instead of oil, if you use melted butter, it will be more flavourful and tastier. But a neutral tasting/ flavour oil also gives a good result.
- You can use vegetable oil, olive oil or sunflower oil.
- Kneading well as mentioned gives a good texture to buns.
- You can skip adding nigella seeds (kalonji seeds) and just use cumin seeds. It smells great!
Kalonji jeera buns Step by step pictures:
- Proofing yeast: Heat milk to make it luke warm.
- Add sugar and yeast to it and stir to completely dissolve the yeast.
- Keep aside for 10 mins.
- It will turn frothy and raise little. This means yeast is active.
- If not, discard this and start over with good quality active dry yeast.
- I added salt to the mixture (have done this earlier in all recipes, haven't encountered any issues) but recently learnt salt can kill certain yeast. So better to mix with flour.
- Dough preparation: In a mixing bowl, mix salt, flour and make a dent.
- Mix oil with the yeast mixture and add it to the dent.
- Add cumin seeds and half the kalonji seeds. (I very slightly roasted both cumin and kalonji, not much though)
- Make a dough out of it by kneading well for 5 minutes.
- Rising: Oil the surface of the dough and keep it covered with a cling wrap or damp cloth.
- After an hour, the dough should have risen well, double the volume before.
- Punch it down and knead again for 5 minutes.
- Baking: Divide into 8 equal sized balls, arrange in a well greased 6.5 inch round baking pan.
- Keep aside for 10 mins and preheat the oven at 190 deg C. After 10 mins, the buns would have risen little more.
- Brush generously with milk. Sprinkle the rest of the kalonji seeds over the buns.
- Bake for 17- 20 mins or until golden crust is formed on the top. Mine took 18 mins.
- Take it out and brush generously with butter while it is hot. Loosen the sides by running a bread knife along the sides.
- Invert over a wire rack carefully. If the buns are baked properly, it should come out easily without sticking to the bottom.
Aren't they gorgeous? Enjoy warm with soup <3
harini says
Hi it tempts a lot.Both video and photos r too good.
bindhu says
Pls tell me the amt for instant yeast.
Santhi Devi says
Yummy and well presented
May I know what is kalonji called in Tamil?
Raks anand says
1 tsp
Raks anand says
I guess its karunjeeragam
Jane says
tried with Multigrain atta and all same measurement as given. Came out very well , very tasty. Thanks for this recipe.
Raks anand says
Thanks a lot for your feedback 🙂
Unknown says
I attempted this recipe and the buns didn't come out well.they didn't rise much after 1 hr. Was disappointed.
Raks anand says
Try adding salt separately instead of adding in milk. Other than bad quality not active yeast, there is nothing there to go wrong in this recipe. I have been keeping this recipe as base for many buns and pizzas.
Christopher Robinson says
If I hv to prepare double the quantity, should I double All ingredients..Esp yeast
mums munoth says
Alternate for yeast
vishaa shalini says
Raks ur tempting me with ur clicks...love to taste as u do...kep rocking raks..
Sudha says
Came out well Raji but didn't get brown on top.Why? Thanks Raji.
Raks Anand says
*Use more water in dough
*sugar should not be skipped
*If yeast is not fresh it turns pale
*Try increasing baking time
*Give generous milk wash on top
Hope this helps you 🙂
Lynda says
I will try again. The dough was very wet and didn't rise well, but it was a good taste. Can you tell me the weight of the flour in grams? Thank you.
Raks Anand says
Thanks for your comment. If the dough hasn't risen, the issue might be with the yeast. Try using a fresh batch and refer to the 'Notes' section before trying again. Regarding your query, the weight of flour in grams is as follows: 1.5 cups of flour = 187.5 grams.
Nam says
3/4 cup salt? Hope that is a typo trying out the jeera buns now. Thank you for the recipe
Raks Anand says
Yes, its a typo. Thanks for letting me know 🙂 Changed now.