This post could well be titled as the story of my Kitchenaid. Kitchenaid is not easily available in India. When Ro travelled to southeast Asia, 2 1/2 years ago, he offered to buy it for me and even lugged it around 2 international airports with a bad back. This man surely knows how to win my lifelong devotion towards him!

Then it so happened that my Kitchenaid lay neatly packed and stacked inside a cabinet for 2 1/2 years. Yes! You heard it right! 2 1/2 years! I had craved for a Kitchenaid, I had one and life circumstances (read travel, shift, pregnancy, childbirth, etc) forced me to keep this trapped in the confines of a cupboard. Whatever the reasons, I still feel they are not justified and I could have some how opened it and started to use it. I had a tiny kitchen then which was already overflowing with a number of gadgets and I just didnt have the adequate place for this prized possession. Maybe the fear of not putting it to the ultimate use was topmost in my mind and that was what also prevented me from using it.

And now the happy news. I inaugurated my kitchenaid in my new spacious kitchen and it now sits pretty on the counter amidst other appliances. I made some bread rolls the other day and my Kitchenaid did all the kneading and taught me that bread making was a breeze. That said these rolls are perfectly made with your hands without the help of any appliance. I made 2 batches one with dried basil and oregano and one with dried basil, oregano and thyme. I liked the one without the thyme, but Ro liked both. If you like thyme then feel free to use it.

What I love about these rolls are that they are baked together in a shallow round tin and you can break off a roll, dunk it in butter or virgin olive oil, dip it into hot soup or simply eat it as it is. However you choose to eat them, I promise they wont disappoint you and once you make these they will most likely be a regular feature on your table!

These rolls go to yeastspotting and to Bread Baking Day (BBD) hosted by tangerine’s kitchen.

Herbed Wholemeal Bread Rolls recipe

This recipe is adapted from the book Cooking with Kurma. I substituted the plain flour with part wholemeal flour and used dried herbs instead of fresh. If you have access to fresh herbs then double the quantity and chop very finely.

Ingredients:

5ml (1 tsp) dried yeast or 3/4 tsp instant yeast (3.75 ml)(I used instant yeast)
310 ml  (1 1/4 cup) warm water
5 ml (1 tsp) sugar
210 gm (1 1/2 cup) whole wheat flour
210 gm (1 1/2 cup) plain flour
5 ml (1 tsp) salt
15 ml (1 tbsp) olive oil
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried thyme
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried oregano
5 ml (1 tsp) dried basil
sesame seeds for topping

Method:

Lightly oil a 10” round baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix the yeast, a little of the warm water and sugar and leave undisturbed until frothy. Mix in the oil and herbs after the yeast turns frothy.

In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the flour and salt. Put in the yeast mixture and the remaining warm water and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Alternately, if you want to do this by hand then mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast mixture. Add most of the water, reserving a little and make a soft but non sticky dough.

After the dough comes together in the stand mixer, change to the dough hook and knead on low speed for 4 to 5 minutes or until the dough becomes smooth and silky. You can knead the dough by hand for 5 to 8 minutes on a kitchen platform.  Allow the dough to rest in a an oiled bowl for about an hour or until approximately double in size.

Knock down the dough and divide into 18 equal sized pieces. Shape them into round balls on a floured surface with the help of your hands and arrange them in the 10” round baking dish, keeping in mind that the balls are going to double in size. Allow the dough to rise again for 30 minutes. Brush with water using a pastry brush, sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake in a pre heated oven at 220 degree celsius/430 degree F for about 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown and hollow sounding when tapped.

Makes 18 rolls or buns.