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Eggless Indian Pav/Dinner Rolls

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Soft and puffy, this Indian Bakery Style pav/pao buns are eggless and made with just 5 ingredients flour, yeast, milk, sugar, and butter. You can call them Indian Dinner rolls too.

Eggless Indian Pav

Pav/pao is an integral part of your life especially if you are a Mumbaikar. Mumbaikar means the one who has been born and brought up in Mumbai and that is me. The Puffy and the soft pav’s lined in the bakery and the aroma of the freshly baked pav. It is difficult to describe in words.

Eggless Indian Pav Buns being displayed

Recipes enjoyed with Pav

Pav can be enjoyed in various forms. Early morning breakfast as Chai Pav, Vada Pav, or Misal pav for Snacks or with my No onion No garlic Pav Bhaji for lunch or dinner.  I even enjoy this with Indori Sev Tamatar ki Sabji which Mayuri Ji has created. The possibilities are endless. I can eat the freshly baked pav as is without any tea coffee or any accompaniments at all.

After moving here we begin missing the Indian Ladi Pav. Though we get so many different types of bread or dinner rolls here, the taste was different to our bakery-style pav. The ones available here are a bit more on the sweetish side and we used to miss the taste. So my hunt began to make the perfect pav. 

Eggless Indian Pav Buns being displayed with one pav showing the texture

A fail-proof recipe for years

I am now baking this Ladi Pav for almost 7-8 years. Every time I bake these beauties I fall in love with them again and again. Every time they do come out soft and all puffed up. A fail-proof recipe. Everyone in my family loves this pav. My daughter just cannot wait once she knows that I am baking this bread. So you know now that this is a must-try at home.

My first ever baked pav. Perfectly fluffy and soft
My first ever Baked Pav (Excuse the pic quality please)
Closer look and Texture of the pav buns

Whole Wheat flour Pav/Bread

I have experimented a lot with this recipe, and at times I use a combination of whole wheat and all-purpose flour like in this 67 % whole Wheat flour Pav and sometimes 100 percent whole wheat flour. I have used the same recipe to make this Whole Wheat Brown Bread but in a sandwich bread form and it has worked.

67% Whole Wheat Pav
67% Whole Wheat Pav (old pic so please excuse)

The texture of the Pav

Yes the texture of whole wheat and all-purpose flour is different. Both are equally good, but whole wheat would have a coarse texture. All-purpose flour on the other hand is softer. Yes everyone now avoids Maida/All-purpose flour including me, but once in a while it is fine there is no harm to indulge in this beauty and especially when it is homemade. 

Pav buns when pressed, soft and yummy

Making of Eggless Indian Pav

Making this pav is an easy process. First you would need around 4 hours in hand. No you will not be working for 4 hours, but the dough has to be rested twice and that takes time. So prepare accordingly. At the start you might feel the process is a bit daunting and especially when you are doing it by hand. I have kneaded this bread with my hand for 5-6 years and it is not difficult at all. Now I have a stand mixer and the process is a bit easier. 

Pav buns/Rolls topped on one above the other

I am explaining the recipe in detail with all tips and tricks. If you still have some questions or have failed, feel free to ask questions in comment box below.

Recipefor Eggless Indian Pav with Ingredients and full instructions in Recipe Card. Below is an explanation with step by step pics.


Instructions

Blooming of yeast

  • In a medium-size bowl, add in lukewarm water. The water should be lukewarm, just enough warm that you can easily dip your finger in it.
  • Add yeast and sugar in the water and give it a mix.
  • Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes. If your kitchen is cold, cover a wide bowl on top of it or let it sit in microwave or oven (basically in a closed location – do not switch on microwave or oven)
  • Check the images below, I have purposely added the spoon to show how the yeast mixture blooms.
  • If your yeast mixture has not bloomed properly the yeast is dead and you would need to work with new yeast. At times even before the expiry date it is dead. So always bloom the yeast and check before adding in the dough.

Making of the Dough

  • In a wide bowl or your stand mixer sift the flour and add the salt and give everything a quick mix.
  • Now in a wide bowl or your stand mixer add in the sifted flour
  • Add in the bloomed yeast mixture and give everything a mix.
  • Slowly add lukewarm milk. First add 1 Cup of milk and mix everything.
  • Keep on adding milk ¼ cup at a time until you get a sticky dough. One should be able to add around 1 ½ – 1 3/4 cups of milk
  • If you are kneading it with hand, take the dough mix on a clean kitchen working area.
  • Knead this for a good 5-10 minutes until the dough comes in together.
  • If using stand mixer just knead the dough using the kneading hook slowly incorporating milk.
  • First on slow speed until the dough is well incorporated and then on high speed for around 5 minutes.
  • Once the dough comes together, add in the butter again ½ tablespoon at a time and knead it with hand until you form an elastic dough. If you form a dent the dough should spring back in a few seconds.
  • For stand mixer follow the same, by slowly adding the butter and kneading on medium speed until the dough is elastic.
  • Now form a rough ball from the dough. 
  • Grease the bowl of a stand mixer or a wide bowl. 
  • Keep the bowl covered in a warm kitchen location. One can even keep the bowl in the oven/microwave with oven/microwave switched off and oven door closed.
  • Let the dough rest for 75-90 minutes until double.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, pinch the dough.
  • Give it a rough knead for a minute and divide it into equal size balls/buns. One can measure and divide too, I eyeball it. If measuring one bun size is around 85-90 grams.

Shaping and Baking

  • Arrange the buns in a baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased lightly with butter.
  • Space out the buns leaving a gap in between for the pav buns to rise.
  • The tray used for baking should have a bit of depth. Around 1 inch, it helps the pav to rise vertically.
  • I use different tray sizes. The pic are with a tray size of 12×12 inch and 12×11 inch (Internal Dimensions). And I am adding images for all to give you an idea. Check below for images. 
Pav Buns arranged on a baking tray
Pav Buns arranged on a baking tray
The pav buns being arranged in an oven plate
Pav Buns arranged on a baking tray
  • If you have some leftover dough you can experiment with braiding or make different shapes of bread in another tray and just use it as a pizza base.
  • Cover it with a clean muslin cloth and let it rest for 75-90 minutes until double. 
  • Again one can keep it on the kitchen counter or the tray in oven/microwave with oven/microwave switched off and oven door closed.
Pav Buns/Rolls being covered with a light cloth and left to rise
  • Once the pav buns have risen, i.e. after 75 minutes preheat the oven to 200 Deg C / 392 Deg F. (Remember if you have kept the oven tray in the oven, remove the tray from the oven before starting to preheat)
  • Using a pastry brush, brush the buns with a little milk. It helps to give a nice brown color on the top of the buns.
Another view/tray in which the Pav buns risen and almost doubled after 90 minutes
Another view/tray in which the Pav buns risen and almost doubled after 90 minutes
  • Now, bake this in a preheated oven for 17-20 minutes. 
  • If you are oven is hot from behind or has uneven heating, around 10 minutes just rotate the tray. Be a bit quick so as not to escape the heat.
  • Do not exceed the baking time of 20 minutes or your buns will go hard.
  • After 20 minutes remove from oven and immediately apply butter using a pastry brush.
Pav buns Just out of the oven
Just out of the oven
Pav buns Just out of the oven
Just out of the oven
Pav Buns brushed with butter immediately when they are out of the oven
Brushing with Butter
  • After 5-10 minutes gently lift the parchment paper and let this cool on a wire rack.
  • If you have not used parchment paper, just let the whole tray sit on a wire rack.
  • Once cooled keep the pav buns covered with a muslin cloth. This helps them not to get dry and retain moisture.


Eggless Indian Pav

Eggless Indian Pav/Dinner Rolls

Soft and puffy, this Indian Bakery Style pav/pao buns or Dinner rolls are eggless and made with just 5 ingredients flour, yeast, milk, sugar, and butter.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate Save
Course: Breakfast, Main Course, Snacks
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: Bread, Eggless Bakes
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Resting Time: 3 hours
Servings: 16 Pav Buns
Author: Renu Agrawal-Dongre

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 4 Cups (790 grams) Packed All-Purpose Flour/Plain Flour/ Maida (For me it comes to around 790 grams, but it can vary from 750-790 grams depending on the flour used)
  • 1 packet 7 grams – 2 ½ teaspoons Fact Action Dry Yeast / Rapid Rise Yeast
  • 1 teaspoon Sugar
  • ¼ Cup (60 ml) Lukewarm water
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon (12 grams) Salt – as per taste
  • 1 1/2-1 3/4 Cups Luke Warm Milk (More or Less might be required depending on flour)
  • 2 tablespoon milk for brushing the buns
  • 2 tablespoon softened butter at room temperature
  • ½ -¾ tablespoon more butter for coating the bowl and the buns

Instructions

  • Blooming of yeast
  • In a medium-size bowl, add in lukewarm water. The water should be lukewarm, just enough warm that you can easily dip your finger in it.
  • Add yeast and sugar in the water and give it a mix.
  • Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes. If your kitchen is cold, cover a wide bowl on top of it or let it sit in microwave or oven (basically in a closed location – do not switch on microwave or oven)
  • Check the images below, I have purposely added the spoon to show how the yeast mixture blooms.
  • If your yeast mixture has not bloomed properly the yeast is dead and you would need to work with new yeast. At times even before the expiry date it is dead. So always bloom the yeast and check before adding in the dough.
  • In a wide bowl or your stand mixer sift the flour and add the salt and give everything a quick mix.
  • Now in a wide bowl or your stand mixer add in the sifted flour
  • Add in the bloomed yeast mixture and give everything a mix.
  • Slowly add lukewarm milk. First add 1 Cup of milk and mix everything.
  • Keep on adding milk ¼ cup at a time until you get a sticky dough. One should be able to add around 1 ½ – 1 3/4 cups of mil
  • If you are kneading it with hand, take the dough mix on a clean kitchen working area.
  • Knead this for a good 5-10 minutes until the dough comes in together.
  • If using stand mixer just knead the dough using the kneading hook slowly incorporating milk.
  • First on slow speed until the dough is well incorporated and then on high speed for around 5 minutes.
  • Once the dough comes together, add in the butter again ½ tablespoon at a time and knead it with hand until you form an elastic dough. If you form a dent the dough should spring back in a few seconds.
  • For stand mixer follow the same, by slowly adding the butter and kneading on medium speed until the dough is elastic.
  • Now form a rough ball from the dough.
  • Grease the bowl of a stand mixer or a wide bowl.
  • Keep the bowl covered in a warm kitchen location. One can even keep the bowl in the oven/microwave with oven/microwave switched off and oven door closed.
  • Let the dough rest for 75-90 minutes until double.
  • Once the dough has doubled in size, pinch the dough.
  • Give it a rough knead for a minute and divide it into equal size balls/buns. One can measure and divide too, I eyeball it. If measuring one bun size is around 85-90 grams.
  • Arrange the buns in a baking tray lined with parchment paper or greased lightly with butter.
  • Space out the buns leaving a gap in between for the pav buns to rise.
  • The tray used for baking should have a bit of depth. Around 1 inch, it helps the pav to rise vertically.
  • I use different tray sizes. The pic below are with tray size of 12×12 inch and 12×11 inch (Internal Dimensions). And I am adding images for all to give you an idea. Check below for images.
  • If you have some leftover dough you can experiment with braiding or make different shapes of bread in another tray and just use it as a pizza base.
  • Cover it with a clean muslin cloth and let it rest for 75-90 minutes until double.
  • Again one can keep it on the kitchen counter or the tray in oven/microwave with oven/microwave switched off and oven door closed.
  • Once the pav buns have risen, i.e. after 75 minutes preheat the oven to 200 Deg C / 392 Deg F. (Remember if you have kept the oven tray in the oven, remove the tray from the oven before starting to preheat)
  • Using a pastry brush, brush the buns with a little milk. It helps to give a nice brown color on the top of the buns.
  • Now, bake this in a preheated oven for 17-20 minutes.
  • If you are oven is hot from behind or has uneven heating, around 10 minutes just rotate the tray. Be a bit quick so as not to escape the heat.
  • Do not exceed the baking time of 20 minutes or your buns will go hard.
  • After 20 minutes remove from oven and immediately apply butter using a pastry brush.
  • After 5-10 minutes gently lift the parchment paper and let this cool on a wire rack.
  • If you have not used parchment paper, just let the whole tray sit on a wire rack.
  • Once cooled keep the pav buns covered with a muslin cloth. This helps them not to get dry and retain moisture.

Notes

  • Temperature plays an important role in bread making.
  • Water and milk should be lukewarm.
  • The yeast mixture has to be bloomed using lukewarm water/milk. It has to be lukewarm and not hot or else you will kill the yeast.
  • Always test the yeast first if it is getting bloomed and then only add to the flour.
  • The butter has to be melted or in semi-soft form but at normal temperature. It should not be cold.
  • If you are using butter or milk from the fridge it is best to let it come to room temperature or slightly warm them up. But not heat.
  • The cold temperature will not let the yeast work and hot will kill it.
  • While proofing the dough and the pav buns leave it to rest undisturbed. By checking in between you will release the heat trapped and you will disturb the proofing process.
  • Use a wide tray and which has a dept of around 1 inch. It helps the pav buns to rise properly.
  • Oven temperatures are different, so do keep an eye after 17 minutes.
  • 1 Cup = 235 ml, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml
Tried this recipe?Share your feedback @cookwithrenu_ad or tag #cookwithrenu_ad
Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist. The nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It varies depending upon the product types or brands.


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Eggless Indian Pav / pao is Soft and puffy Bakery Style Dinner rolls made with just 5 ingredients flour, yeast, milk, sugar, and butter.


Foodies_RedoingOldPost_24, where today I am updating the pics and a bit of content. The recipe is updated with measurements in grams too.


Foodies_RedoingOldPost



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Recipe Rating




eggless pav recipe in microwave – Microwave Recipes

Saturday 25th of September 2021

[…] Eggless Indian Pav/Dinner Rolls – Cook With Renu […]

Sasmita

Thursday 14th of May 2020

So so perfect pillowy soft buns Renu !! Love this bakery style pav buns what we call also dinner rolls... Eggless version is always a hit and that too with only 5 ingredients.

Renu Agrawal-Dongre

Friday 15th of May 2020

Thank You

Jayashree T.Rao

Wednesday 13th of May 2020

Lovely post Renu. I am yet to make these in my kitchen. Shall try sometime. Pav buns look awesome.

Renu Agrawal-Dongre

Wednesday 13th of May 2020

Thank You

Archana

Tuesday 12th of May 2020

Such a lovely pav! I am drooling here. With these pav I can't think of anything else but pav bhaji. Bookmarked to try your recipe.

Renu Agrawal-Dongre

Tuesday 12th of May 2020

Sure, hope you like it. Thank You

Poonam Bachhav

Tuesday 12th of May 2020

Such soft, pillowy buns Renu ! Loved the wonderful texture and the gorgeous color of these homemade dinner buns.

Renu Agrawal-Dongre

Wednesday 13th of May 2020

Thank You