It is a truth universally acknowledged that warm bread — straight-out-of-the-oven warm bread — with a steamy, savoury filling must be looking for a hungry face. (Sorry, too much P&P). I don’t have to tell you how delicious these are, because I’m sure you can imagine it: a spicy meat filling, inside soft fluffy bread, with a garlicky chilli butter on top — it requires very little imagination to appreciate how stupidly good these are.
This recipe is inspired by the kheema buns mum would make for us, growing up. Those were little dinner rolls, stuffed with kheema. Recently however, I’ve been dreaming of a savoury version of cinnamon rolls, and that’s how this recipe came to life. The filling to bread distribution is more even here, and I love that some of the filling that’s exposed at the top gets a little colour.
A note on kheema — the chicken gets cooked in a pressure cooker first and then added to a pan with onions and tomato. Mum insists that it is sacrilegious to do it any other way. But should you feel like defying 1000 years of family kheema-making tradition, just add the raw mince to the cooked onions and tomatoes, add 1/2 cup water, cook it down, allowing the water to evaporate.
I know the recipe looks a little longer than the usual ones we share on Malabar Tea Room, but it is so worth it. If you’re looking for something delicious to serve for iftaar these last few days of Ramzan, look no further. You can make the kheema a day in advance, leave it out as you’re prepping the bread dough, and carry on with the recipe.
Kheema Rolls with Garlicky Chilli Butter
Ingredients
For the kheema
400 g minced chicken
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small tomato, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3 green chilli, chopped
2 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
Juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp oil
For the rolls
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk, room temperature
2 tsp instant yeast
2 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp salted room temperature butter, cubed
2 tbsp coconut milk
1 tbsp milk, for brushing on the rolls before baking
For the garlic butter
50 g butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 green chilli, chopped finely
1 tsp red chilli flakes (optional)
1 tsp chopped coriander leaves
Method
To make the kheema
Pressure cook the mince with 1/3 cup water, turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder, garlic and salt for 2 minutes (2 minutes after the first whistle).
When the pressure has released, open up the cooker, and reduce any liquid in the cooker.
Meanwhile, in a pan on medium heat, add the oil.
When hot, add the onions and sauté until they brown.
Add the tomato and continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes, or until the tomatoes are soft and squishy.
Next, add the cooked mince (making sure you’ve reduced any water).
Turn the heat on high and continue to sauté until the mince gets a bit of colour. About 5-6 minutes
Adjust the salt.
Turn off heat, stir in the coriander leaves and the lime juice.
Set aside to cool.
To make the bread rolls
In a small bowl, add the milk, yeast, sugar and mix well.
In a larger bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, if using one), add the flour.
Pour in the milk mixture and mix to combine. If using a stand-mixer, mix on low. If the dough feels dry, give it a minute or two, check again and add a tablespoon more of milk if needed.
Add in the cubed butter and continue to knead the dough.
If this is being done by hand, you’ll need to knead for about 1-12 minutes. If you’re using a mixer, knead on a medium setting for around 8 minutes.
The dough will be smooth, elasticy and spring back when you gently press it.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and leave to prove for an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
Now, flour your worktop and roll out the dough, making a 10x 12-inch rectangle that is 1/2-inch thick.
Generously spread the coconut milk over the dough, and then spread out the keema all over, making sure to cover the edges.
Now gently form a roll, staring with the longer end of the rectangle, and roll away from you, like you would with a Swiss roll.
When you get to the end, make sure to press the seam closed.
Carefully cut out the roll into 12 equal-sized pieces.
Place in a large baking dish (14-inch rectangle is what I use) and allow to prove again for another hour.
Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius.
Brush the top of the rolls with milk, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the bread looks golden and delicious.
Meanwhile, make the garlic butter by melting the butter, and then add in the green chillies, garlic, chilli flakes and allow it too fry until it smells fragrant. Turn off the heat, and mix in the coriander. Set this aside.
When the rolls are ready, top with the garlic butter and serve warm!