
While growing up, I loved the spicy stuffed breads available in most of the bakeries in India. The aroma of fresh stuffed bread coming out of bakeries was divine. Even after more than a decade of living here, I can still remember the aroma/taste of it. I used to search for any savory breads here in bakeries, but so far I have not found anything close. So once in a while, when I want to eat those, I bake at home. Few days ago, I baked these paneer stuffed pull apart rolls.
I started buying avocado when Ishaan was a toddler. He used to love eating it with a pinch of salt and lemon. Then there was a period of time, I totally forgot about them. Whenever I bought them, they sat on the kitchen counter and got overripe before I could use them. A friend suggested to refrigerate avocados to increase their life. Now I buy a bunch of them and put in fridge. I mix them in chapati dough to make super soft chapatis. So this time I wanted to try adding them to bread and the bread came out delicious.

Pictorial: Spread paneer stuffing on the rolled dough. Roll the dough. Cut and keep in the baking pan. Ready to eat.

Paneer Stuffed Pull-Apart Rolls
Ingredients
- For the bread
- 1 1 and 1/2 tea spns pack active dry yeast
- 3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbl spn butter
- 1 avocado optional
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tbl spn olive oil
- 1 tea spn honey
- Salt
- For the stuffing
- 2 cups shredded paneer
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 tbl spn coriander leaves
- 1 tea spn freshly made ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tea spn chilli powder
- 1 tea spn garam masala
- Oil
- Salt
Instructions
- For stuffing :
- Heat oil and add onions, ginger-garlic paste, salt.
- Fry till onions are translucent.
- Add garam masala, chilli powder and fry for a min.
- Now add the paneer, coriander leaves and mix well.
- Let it cool to room temperature.
- For bread:
- Take honey and warm water in a bowl and add the yeast.
- Leave it around for 10mins till yeast gets activated.
- Now add mashed avocado, softened butter, milk.
- Add 1 cup flour at a time and mix.
- Knead till dough comes together in a ball (it will still be sticky). I mix in my KitchenAid stand mixer.
- Take on a flat surface dust with flour and knead for few minutes.
- Take oil in the same bowl, keep the dough and move it around to coat with oil.
- Cover the bowl and leave for about 2 hrs, till it is doubled in volume.
- Punch the dough to deflate all the air. Knead for a min.
- Assembling:
- Roll the dough into a thin (about 1/4") thick rectangle.
- Spread the stuffing on the bread.
- Make a tight roll, tightly seal the edge.
- Cut into 1 and 1/2 to 2 inch pieces.
- Take a baking dish and apply little oil to it. I also dusted it with a little flour to avoid sticking.
- Keep the bread pieces one beside the other.
- Cover and keep it aside for about 1 hr.
- The rolls would have risen well by now.
- Preheat the oven at 350F.
- Brush the rolls with butter or olive oil or milk.
- Bake the rolls at 350F for about 45mins. (check after about 30mins).
- Serve hot.
Notes

Paneer Stuffed Pull-Apart Rolls
Ingredients
- For the bread
- 1 1 and 1/2 tea spns pack active dry yeast
- 3 and 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 tbl spn butter
- 1 avocado optional
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tbl spn olive oil
- 1 tea spn honey
- Salt
- For the stuffing
- 2 cups shredded paneer
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 tbl spn coriander leaves
- 1 tea spn freshly made ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tea spn chilli powder
- 1 tea spn garam masala
- Oil
- Salt
Instructions
- For stuffing :
- Heat oil and add onions, ginger-garlic paste, salt.
- Fry till onions are translucent.
- Add garam masala, chilli powder and fry for a min.
- Now add the paneer, coriander leaves and mix well.
- Let it cool to room temperature.
- For bread:
- Take honey and warm water in a bowl and add the yeast.
- Leave it around for 10mins till yeast gets activated.
- Now add mashed avocado, softened butter, milk.
- Add 1 cup flour at a time and mix.
- Knead till dough comes together in a ball (it will still be sticky). I mix in my KitchenAid stand mixer.
- Take on a flat surface dust with flour and knead for few minutes.
- Take oil in the same bowl, keep the dough and move it around to coat with oil.
- Cover the bowl and leave for about 2 hrs, till it is doubled in volume.
- Punch the dough to deflate all the air. Knead for a min.
- Assembling:
- Roll the dough into a thin (about 1/4") thick rectangle.
- Spread the stuffing on the bread.
- Make a tight roll, tightly seal the edge.
- Cut into 1 and 1/2 to 2 inch pieces.
- Take a baking dish and apply little oil to it. I also dusted it with a little flour to avoid sticking.
- Keep the bread pieces one beside the other.
- Cover and keep it aside for about 1 hr.
- The rolls would have risen well by now.
- Preheat the oven at 350F.
- Brush the rolls with butter or olive oil or milk.
- Bake the rolls at 350F for about 45mins. (check after about 30mins).
- Serve hot.
Notes

I was introduced to frozen tuvar lilva (pigeon peas) by my friend P. She makes a delicious bhaji with these and sweet potatoes. This tuvar lilva bhaji must be one of my favorite dishes cooked by her. I have tried to pair this with sweet potatoes, normal potatoes and even paneer. It makes for a healthy and tasty side dish to go with chapatis/rotis. Last time I added some spinach to it and it was delicious. I normally make this directly in pressure cooker to save time.
Also check tuvar lilva in coriander masala recipe.
Pictorial: Fry onions and ginger-garlic paste.

Add all masalas followed by tomatoes. Add spinach, tuvar lilva, potatoes and cook till done.
Pigeon Peas Sidedish (Tuvar Lilva Bhaji)
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh or frozen tuvar lilva pigeon peas
- 2 cups potatoes or sweet potatoes or paneer cut into cubes
- 1 cup choppes spinach optional
- 1/2 cup onions
- 1 tea spn ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tea spn garam masala or goda masala
- 1/2 tea spn coriander powder
- 1/2 tea spn cumin powder
- 1 cup tomatoes
- 1 tbl spn dessicated coconut
- A pinch turmeric
- 1 tea spn chilli powder
- Oil
- Salt
Instructions
- Heat oil and fry onions, ginger-garlic paste.
- When they turn translucent, add garam masala (or goda masala), coriander-cumin powder, coconut, turmeric, chilli powder, salt. Fry for few minutes.
- Then add tomatoes and cook till they are mushy.
- Add spinach, potatoes (or sweet potatoes or paneer), tuvar lilva, half cup water.
- Cook till potatoes and peas are cooked.
- Serve hot with chapatis/roti.