Photo credit to my mom for this pic
"What better way to end a hard work day, or any day for that matter, than with a hand full of soft buns?" Is what I thought to myself when I started making these babies. When I was looking for recipes for the dough, so many called for pau flour, and that I did not readily have in hand. Luckily I came across Food52's recipe, and that is what I stuck with.
Because there were only three of us for dinner, I decided to halve the recipe and it turned out perfectly!
The ingredients (and amounts) I used are:
-1 heaping tsp active dry yeast
-1/2 cup whole milk (you can use any milk)
-1/2 TB olive oil
-1+1/2 C. all purpose flour
-1/4 tsp salt
-1+1/2 TB sugar
The method:
1. Put milk and oil in a small pot to warm it up, I am sure you could also use a microwave for this step if you'd like. The only thing is to make sure it is lukewarm (not hot to the touch) for the next step.
2. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk and oil mixture in a bowl, stir it with a fork and let it sit for about 10 minutes, you should start to see some bubbling after the time passes.
3. Sift the flour, sugar, and salt together in a separate bowl
4. When the wet ingredients are ready, slowly pour it into the dry ingredients while stirring
5. When a dough-like substance begins to form (you may need to use your hands to incorporate everything), put it onto a flat surface dusted with flour for kneading for about 5 minutes or until the dough starts to become elastic and stick together
6. Now let your dough rise for 1-2 hours (I did 2) in an oiled bowl with a damp towel over it. Make sure the bowl is in a warm area.
7. Once the dough has risen, punch it to let some of the air escape and roll it into a log
8. Cut the log into 6 pieces (or less if you'd like smaller buns) <-- "Who wants smaller buns?"
9. Roll out the pieces until you have your desired thickness, using extra flour if it feels a bit sticky (keep in mind that these will puff up quite a bit in the steamer)
10. Pinch the edges of the dough really well, this will make it easier to pleat
11. Now, this is the fun part, you can fill them with whatever you'd like! It is totally up to you. You are now the chief of the fillings. You could even make a sweet version with some red bean paste or even a custard, mmm.
I made two types of fillings consisting of:
-Pork/tuna
-Cabbage
-Shiitake mushrooms
-Garlic
-Shoyu (soy sauce)
-Brown sugar
-Ginger (from the tube)
*The measurements are based on what was on hand and what kind of taste I like. So get to experimenting what kinds of flavors your tastebuds like.
I precooked these in the iron skillet (one of my favorite pans) before filling the dough. I did this just to make sure that everything inside was cooked and it tasted good.
This part was interesting. This was the first time I have pleated anything but dress pants, I think I did alright for a first-timer. I bow down to those who have mastered the pleat, it's quite a feat! (Sometimes, I just can't help myself)
BOOM! How about 'dem steamed buns! This was not because of my master crafting though, just good camera angle skills. A girl's gotta be honest with herself, haha.
Don't worry if it isn't perfect, the pleats are just for looks. As long as the filling stays inside, you are good to go!
12. Place these in a steamer lined with wax paper/parchment paper/(I was even considering using cabbage leaves, but it might make them soggy)
13. In about 15 minutes, take them out to serve with your favorite sauce (I used hot mustard and it was SO good!)
*Careful of the steam when you are taking them out!!!
This is the final product out of the steamer.
Here is the tuna filling. Oh my goodness, I am drooling looking at this picture and remembering last night's dinner.
This one is with the pork filling. Photo credit to my mom for this pic too.
The verdict: A MAJOR SUCCESS
The dough was just flawless. It was nice and soft and held in the filling really well. I was really surprised at how big they got while they were in the steamer.
I will definitely be making these again, and I will probably experiment with some new tasty fillings as well! Until next time,
Much love,
Crystal
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