Sri Lankan mas-paans are soft bread rolls filled with a curried meat filling. These are a staple snack or meal, easy to eat on the go. Mum has been making these for decades, these little rolls have fed me and my brothers (and all many of our friends!) throughout our busiest uni days - and are still one of our favourite things to eat straight out of the oven! These are filled with a beef curry (see recipe on my grid) and you’ll always find a few of these in mum’s freezer for emergency snacks!
ingredients.
1lb / 450g flour
1½ tsp dry yeast
1 tsp salt
3 tsp sugar
200 ml cold water
3oz / 85g melted butter
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Filling of choice. These can be filled with various meat or veggie curries. My favourite fillings are beef curry or curried tuna.
Make sure your filling is cut into small pieces and quite dry, so it’s easy to seal the buns.
process.
Put the flour and salt into a bowl and give it a little mix. I used active dry yeast, which needs to be added to tepid water to be activated. Add the sugar to the yeast- water, stir and set aside for a few minutes until it bubbles up. (If you’re using instant yeast, the dry yeast and sugar can be added straight to the flour.) Add the butter to the flour, and mix. Then add the water, and mix well until everything is combined. If the mixture seems too dry or wet, it’s okay to add small amounts of water or flour to make sure your dough is not sticky. Once combined, take the dough out of the bowl and knead it for 5 minutes on a lightly floured surface. Put the dough back into the bowl (I prefer to oil the bowl lightly) and cover with a damp dishcloth and leave to proof in a warm place. This can be outside if the weather is good, but can also be done in the microwave. Microwave dough on 10% for five minutes, and leave to rest for 15 minutes. The dough is ready if you push your finger into it and it leaves a dent.
Divide the dough into eight, each of these chunks will make two curry buns. Flatten the piece of dough in your palm, and add a little less than a teaspoon of your chosen filling. Pinch the dough together around the meat to seal it and place the smooth side up on a baking tray. Once you’ve formed all the buns, brush the tops with an egg wash and leave to proof for 10-15 minutes.
Bake in a preheated oven, at 220°C for about 10 mins, or until the tops of the buns are golden brown. Remember every oven is different so the timing will depend on your oven!
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