These soft laadi pavs or dinner rolls are soft and easy to make at home. They are essential in many recipes like dabeli, vada pav, misal pav and pav bhaji. Have you ever tried getting fresh pav from bakery which are still warm to touch? They are so delicate, soft and fluffy and just melts in mouth..ahhh irresistable. Trust me fresh pav tastes totally different than the packet of pav we grab from store. Once you make it at home, you will never go back to store bought ones.
The very first time I made pav at home, I was hooked. I couldn’t believe how easy and quick it was to make. Pav that we get in the local indian stores are hard and can make out that they are not even close to fresh ones. These homemade tastes as good as fresh even the next day. I wrap it in a clean lint-free kitchen towel and it stays nice. I enjoy some maska(butter) pav with hot tea if i have some leftover pavs.
You can shape them little flat (as I have done here) or stack them close so they get some height. It depends on which recipe you are going to use them. Well, they tastes delicious no matter what shape. This recipe makes 12 perfectly sized pavs. I used 12″ baking dish as I wanted them little flat but you can use 8″ or 9″ pan too. Don’t get confused between baking tray and baking dish. Making laadi pav requires a baking dish which has around 2″height. If you prefer dark brown top, put them under broiler for 2-3 minutes or until tops are dark. Brush them with butter after they are done for shiny effect.
These recipe is really simple and does not required any fancy ingredients. I have made it so many times and it comes out perfect every single time. There are few things to keep in mind while making pav and if followed correctly there is always a guaranteed result.
- Fermenting yeast: Temperature of milk should be perfect. When you dip your finger in milk, it should feel warm not hot. Adding sugar with yeast is important as yeast eats sugar and activates. Once you let yeast sit for 10 minutes, the mixture is frothy and that is must. If yeast does not activates (mixture is not frothy), throw way the liquid and start over. Either your yeast is expired or milk is too hot which kills yeast.
- Soft dough: key to feathery soft pav is soft dough. Even if it sticks to your hand do not tempt yourself to use more flour.
- Proofing dough: Keep your kneaded dough in bigger bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Place it warm spot like oven with light on and let it double in size.
- Proofing the shaped balls or pav: Place the divided balls in baking dish and let it proof second time. Cover the dish with damp cloth.
- Applying milk before baking: To keep the top of pav moist it is important to brush milk. But make sure you do this gently and not poke the brush. This will deflate the pav.
Homemade Laadi Pav (Dinner Rolls)
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup milk
- 3 tbsp room temperature butter
- 1 1/2 tbsp milk powder
- 1 packet active dry yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp of butter and milk for brushing
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour for dusting
Instructions
- Combine warm milk (make sure its lukewarm not hot), yeast and sugar in small bowl and let it sit for 10 mins or until foamy.
- In a bigger bowl or stand mixer bowl( if using stand mixer), knead flour, milk powder, salt and yeast mixture together.
- Add soft butter to it and keep kneading till soft and smooth dough is formed. (this step can also be done on work surface if not using stand mixer).
- For proofing the dough, grease a big bowl with oil and add the kneaded dough in it. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for atleast an hour or dough is double in size.
- Dust the work surface with some flour and knead the dough again for 5 minutes.
- Divide it into 12 equal size balls.
- Grease 8" baking pan and place the divided balls in it. Cover it will lint-free napkin and let it proof again for around 30-40 minutes.
- Preheat the oven at 400F.
- Brush the top of buns with milk so that they don't dry out.
- Bake the buns for about 20 mins. Once done brush them with butter to make it shiny.
