First prepare the dough starter at least 24 hours before you intend to make your muffins. Place all the ingredients mentioned under 'For the dough starter' in a bowl that is big enough to accommodate the mixture when it has doubled in volume. Mix everything vigorously for a minute. Cover with an oiled cling wrap and place it in a warm place of your kitchen. Keep the dough starter anywhere between 1-12 hours to ferment

When the dough starter has fermented, transfer it into a large mixing bowl, add the warm milk and yeast and mix everything vigorously with a whisk until you get a cloudy, almost frothy mixture.

Add the sugar and butter and mix well. Then add the flour in parts and mix with your hand until you get a rough dough.

Turn out the dough onto a clean working surface dusted with a little flour. Knead for 5-6 minutes or till smooth. Place the dough in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. At this point you can either place the dough in the fridge for an overnight rest (if you intend to make the muffins for breakfast the next morning or you can carry on and let the dough rest until it doubles in volume, about 1-1/2 to 2 hours.

When the dough has doubled, turn it onto a work surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces and gently shape into round balls and flatten them. Place them onto a baking sheet dusted with cornmeal/semolina or rice flour. If you have muffin rings you can use them and place the dough balls inside these rings to get a perfect shape. Dust some more cornmeal on top of the muffins

Let the dough rise for another 30-40 minutes (or about 1-1/2 to 2 hours for dough that was refrigerated.

Heat a heavy based non stick/cast iron or stainless steel frying pan/skillet and grease it with the butter (just enough to prevent the dough balls from sticking). Maintain the heat on a medium and place as many dough balls as you can comfortably accommodate. Reduce the heat to a medium low or low and fry on both sides till golden, about 7-8 minutes in total. Take care to see that the skillet is not very hot or the outside will burn before the inside is cooked properly. Cover the pan with a dome shaped lid if required to help cook them faster.

Remove and let them cool slightly on a wire rack, then cut them horizontally and serve warm, slathered with butter or jam or as a side to fried or poached eggs.