Make the dough: Place the yeast, sugar, and water into a large mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saucepan. Add the cottage cheese into the butter and stir the mixture until lukewarm, then remove from the heat. Mix the salt, egg, dill seed, and onion into the cottage cheese and butter until combined. Add this mixture into the yeast, sugar and water and stir to combine into a wet batter. Mix the flour and baking soda in a separate bowl. Add the flour and baking soda into the wet batter and mix to form a soft and smooth dough.

Grease a large bowl with ½ teaspoon of the butter. Transfer the dough into the greased bowl and flip the dough over in the bowl to lightly coat both sides of the dough with the butter. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it proof in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1½ hours.

Liberally grease a 12-cup muffin baking pan with about 2 tablespoons of the butter. Turn the proofed dough out onto a floured surface and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball with your hands and place each piece into a muffin cup in the baking pan. Gently cover the muffin tray with a towel and let the dough rise for an additional 25 to 30 minutes, until the dough is proofed and puffy.

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. 

Melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and brush the tops of the dough rolls with it. Bake the rolls for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Let cool for 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges of the rolls and tip them out of the pan.

Serve warm or at room temperature.