Lentil curry Buns( Sambhar buns)

What do you do when you have a good amount of Sambhar/Sambar(Split Pigeon Pea stew) left.. You or I make a bread bun out of it and come up with savory and spicy buns!

Sambar is a Lentil stew from South India, served as an accompaniment with steamed rice cakes "idli" or lentil crepes "dosa". recipe here http://beyondcurries.blogspot.com/2009/04/idli-sambar-spicy-lentil-vegetable.html Or http://cooking4allseasons.blogspot.com/2008/02/idli-with-vengaya-sambar.html

Ingredients:

• 2 cups bread flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 2 teaspoons quick rising yeast
• 2 cups thick lentil curry(sambhar) blended to puree
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon flax seeds
• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 Tablespoon oil

Directions:

1. Let the yeast sit in a quarter cup of warm water + 1 teaspoon sugar for 10 minutes or until frothy.
2. Grease the stand mixer bowl lightly. In the stand mixer bowl , add in the flours, salt and pepper and give it a quick mix.
3. Add in the lentil curry(sambhar), cilantro leaves, oil and the yeast mixture and give them a quick mix with a spatula.
4. Knead the dough for 2 minutes using the dough hook.
5. Scrape sides and knead again for 2 minutes. If mixing by hand, keep kneading till a nice soft and not very sticky dough is formed. The sambhar will make the dough generally stickier than normal bread dough and will also give the baked bun a very soft and moist texture.
6. Knead in batched of 2 minutes with intermittent scraping till a soft dough is formed.
7. Coat a bowl with oil and keep the dough in it , covered with a plastic wrap for rising.
8. Let it rise for an hour. Punch it down and make small balls.
9. Use the boule technique for a tighter crust and for the buns to rise more vertically ( pull dough gently using both hands in opp direction and tuck it in. Repeat 2-4 times to cover the circumference of the ball)
10. Place buns an inch apart on a greased baking sheet. I got 8 big buns.
11. Brush water on the buns and stick some flax seeds on them.
12. Let rise covered by a towel for half an hour.
13. Bake at 360 degrees F for 20 minutes. Times may very depending on the oven and amount and thickness of sambhar etc.
14. Cool on wire rack for half an hour before munching on these savory buns with some garlicky olive oil or coconut chutney!. I also used them as burger buns with a veggie patty!