Pillow Soft Indian Pav

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Ingredients

3 Cups Bread Flour +about  1/2 cup for dusting (I used King Arthur)
1 pack dry yeast,about 2 1/4 tsp (I used Red star Quick rise instant dry yeast)
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp oil
1 1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup water at room temperature
Cooking oil spray
2 tbsp sesame seeds(optional)


What you need to do

  • Place 1/4 cup room temperature water in a microwave safe bowl and warm it for 10 secs.
  • Stir in 1 pack yeast and sugar.Mix well and set aside for 15 mins.
  • At this stage,the yeast mixture should be really frothy,if not the temperature of water is not right for yeast.Start over again.
  • In a large bowl, mix 3 cups bread flour and salt.
  • Make a small well at the center of this dry mix.
  • Add 2 tbsp oil to the yeast mixture and mix
  • Drop the yeast mixture in the well of dry mix.
  • Use warm water little at a time to form a sticky dough.Do not use too much water.You will need about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups water depending on the flour quality.
  • Spread some flour on a clean surface and transfer the dough on it.
  • Start kneading it.Use the flour reserved for dusting ,as needed, if the dough sticks to the surface.
  • The more you knead the dough the better the texture of the bread.
  • At the point the dough turns into a non sticky soft ball,smear the remaining tbsp of oil all over it and knead for another 5 mins.
  • Grease a large bowl with cooking spray.Place the dough bowl , cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside for 2 hour in a warm place.

  • Grease a baking tray,divide the dough into 15 small balls and place them on the baking tray 1' apart.If there is too much space between two balls the pav will turn flat.

  • Cover this tray with a damp kitchen towel and set aside for an hour.
  • By now all the pav must have swelled and formed a pattern like ladi.Lightly spray the balls with cooking spray and sprinkle their tops with sesame seeds(optional).
  • Preheat the oven for 10 mins at 375 deg F.Place the tray on the center rack of oven and bake the balls  for 20-25 mins until their tops have browned.I have a electric oven and mine took exactly 20 mins.
  • Remove from the oven,spray them again with cooking spray,lightly cover the tray with aluminium foil or a clean kitchen towel and set aside for 5 mins.


  • Yummy soft pav are ready to be served with pav bhaji,misal or bhurji.

Variation
  • Divide the dough into 12 balls for bigger sized pav for sandwiches.





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