Make Steamed Buns


Baozi, also known as bao or bau, is a type of steamed bun filled with a variety of fillings. Although having origins in China, it has embedded itself as a mainstay in several Asian cuisines and adopted fillings that fit according to local tastes and availability of ingredients. Steamed buns can be sweet or savory, and can be eaten at all times of the day.

This recipe calls for red bean paste, which is made from dry azuki beans. Azuki beans can be found at Asian stores, and prepared red bean paste is readily available in cans or jars as well. Although making red bean paste from scratch will allow you to control the sugar to your liking, be forewarned! Sweetness is critical for unlocking the delicious flavor, so don't skimp on the sugar!

Ingredients

  • 1 package of steamed bun flour (find at an Asian market)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 tbsp of oil
  • Red Bean Paste or adzuki beans (Optional)

Steps

Making the Red Bean Paste

  1. Place the azuki beans in a bowl, submerge in water, and allow it to sit overnight.
  2. Strain the beans in the morning and put them in a pot. Pour enough water in the pot so that the water level is a few inches above the beans. Bring the water to a boil, allow to simmer, and cook for about an hour or until the beans are done.
    • Although azuki beans cook faster than other beans, sometimes you'll need to cook the beans slightly longer than an hour.
  3. Drain the remaining water, if any is left, and press the beans through a sieve into a bowl. Do this in batches because there will be too many beans to do all at once.
    • This is where personal preference will affect how finely you strain the beans. Some people prefer a completely smooth paste, devoid of bean skin, while others don't mind a little bit of chunkiness. The choice is yours, but either way is delicious!
    • Some people puree the bean paste in a blender for added smoothness. Afterward, they pass the mixture through cheesecloth to remove the fine fragments of bean skin.
  4. Put beans in a large, heavy pan, turn the heat to a medium or medium-low setting, and cook until the bean paste is thick, usually 20 or 30 minutes. Make sure to constantly stir so the beans don't stick to the pan. You may need to add water occasionally if you find the beans are getting too dry.
  5. Add the sugar and pinch of salt, continuing to stir frequently and adjusting water if necessary. Cook for 10 minutes and remove from pan. Store in a container and refrigerate. It will keep for up to a week.

Making the Buns

  1. Reserve two tablespoons of the flour mixture as this will be used later to prevent the buns from sticking to the counter when you roll them out.
  2. Add 1C sugar to the flour mixture, stir well, and then slowly pour the 1 cup of milk into the dry ingredients, alternating with mixing by hand and pouring until all the milk is incorporated with the flour. At this point, you may be alarmed at the gloppy consistency of the flour and milk mixture, but don't despair! As you continue to mix the dough, it will slowly become smooth and supple like bread dough, and also tough and difficult to knead. All of this is completely normal, so continue the workout! The total kneading time is 20 minutes.
  3. Add the one tablespoon of oil to the dough, and then knead for another 10 minutes. Now, the dough needs to rest for 30 minutes in a bowl. The chemical leavening agents in the flour mixture will cause the dough to rise slightly.
  4. Remove the dough from the bowl and cut in half, and then in half again, until you have 12 balls of dough on the counter. If you prefer smaller buns, cut each ball of dough in half so you end up with 24 total.
  5. Place some of the reserved flour on the counter and roll each ball of dough to a thickness of about one-quarter inch. Make sure that the edges are much thinner than the middle section of the dough because this will make sealing the buns easier and also create a substantial section of bread in the finished bun.
    • A small rolling pin works best for this procedure, not the larger ones with which your mom may have chased you around the house as a child. If you don't have one, an alternate method is to simply flatten each ball of dough with a broad bottomed glass, pressing firmly and then shaping the dough with your hands.
  6. Put a disc of dough in the palm of your hands, and place some of the red bean paste onto it, making sure not to use too much because you might stretch the dough while trying to seal the buns. Remember, less is better!
  7. Seal the bun. Do this by bringing up one side over the top of the red bean paste, and then another side, and then another until the paste is completely covered. Press the pieces of dough together and twist with your fingers to seal it completely.
    • To make the dough more cohesive while sealing, wet the outer periphery of each disc with water. Don't use too much water, though, as this will interfere with the texture of the bread and create a distasteful gummy spot after steaming.
  8. Put a piece of parchment paper (or foil) on the bottoms of each bun and arrange buns on a plate until you have enough to begin steaming your first batch. How many batches you have will depend on how large you made your buns. Smaller buns can be steamed in three batches.
  9. Arrange buns in steamer, close lid, and steam for 20 minutes. Remove lid and steam for another 10 minutes.
  10. Cooling the buns is optional, but eating them is mandatory. Enjoy!

Things You'll Need

  • Water for Sealing
  • Paper or Foil

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