Yummy~licious + Baby~licious: Pao (Steamed Bun)

Showing posts with label Pao (Steamed Bun). Show all posts

Gorgeous Purple Sweet Potato Rose Mantou

...which calls for pau flour and baking powder... an even fluffier and light mantou...

Previously, I have tried my hands on a Classic White Mantou recipe which calls for only all-purpose flour. The texture were soft and fluffy. Today, I tried another recipe which calls for pau flour and baking powder. The result was an even fluffier and light mantou. And in this recipe, sweet potato was added for flavor.

I simply love how these gorgeous rosebuds came to live after steaming. The rose mantou were light and fluffy. It was like being served a bouquet of gorgeouslicious purple sweet potato rose mantou. My daughter was so amazed, she said, "Wow, mommy pau pau flower very nice.... Good job, mommy!" And she had two pieces, one after another.

The steamed purple sweet potato was blended into a very fine paste. You can substitute the purple sweet potato with other similar paste if you want, just make sure that the consistency is around the same. And make sure to adjust the sweetness accordingly.

GORGEOUS PURPLE SWEET POTATO MANTOU
(Recipe source from Table For 2)

Prep Time : 237 mins
Cook Time : 36 mins
Total Time : 4 hours 33 mins
Makes : 26 pcs rose mantou

Ingredients:
250g purple sweet potato
200ml water
11g instant yeast
500g pau flour
1 tsp baking powder
100g castor sugar
50g shortening
1/4 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Peel sweet potato and cut into large cubes. Steam for approx. 30 mins or until soft. Add steamed sweet potato and roughly 100ml water to a food processor and blend to get a very fine paste.

2. With the remaining water (100ml), add instant yeast and let the yeast mixture sit for 5 mins until it turn frothy.

3. In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine all ingredients except shortening with a sturdy spatula/ wooden spoon until all dry ingredients are moistened. Add in shortening and knead until the dough is smooth, approx. 15 minutes. (The dough may seems sticky at first, just continue kneading until the gluten formed)

4. Cover with cling wrap and let the dough rest for one hour or doubled in size. Punch down the dough to release air. Knead for 1-2 minutes.

5. At this point, the dough is ready to be shaped. Divide the dough and form as you wish.

(As I worked on the dough, it has begun to rain. Hence the poor quality of photos due to lighting. Sorry!)

[Photo Inset: Left] For rose bud mantou, divide dough into 15g balls. Cover with cling wrap and let the balls dough rest for another one hour.
[Photo Inset: Right] Flatten the balls dough with a rolling pin. Each set of rosebud will need 6 balls, so work in a group of 6 balls.

[Photo Inset: Left] Press down the side of the circle dough with your fingers to flatten even more and to create ripples. Arrange the 6 circles dough from the bottom to the top, overlapping the previous dough by half. Start rolling upwards from the first piece of dough. (In photo above : Right side is bottom)
[Photo Inset: Right] Cut the dough into halves. Now, you will have two rosebuds. Arrange them on muffin liners.

6. Cover the formed dough with a cling wrap. Let them rest to doubled in size or approx. 45 minutes. Steam for 12 minutes.

7. Enjoy hot/ warm!

Notes:
● The mantou can be stored in freezer for up to 3 months. Just reheat in a steamer for 5 mins after taking them out from freezer.

#msyummyliciousrecipe
Make this recipe? Don't forget to snap a photo of it and tag #msyummyliciousrecipe on social media! I would love to see them! Enjoy my recipe!

First Commenter...(+/-)

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Classic White Mantou

Mantou or Chinese steamed buns are originated from Northern China. They are eaten as a staple food where wheat is grown. According to a popular Chinese legend, the name 'mantou' is said to have came from a tale about Zhuge Liang.

CHINESE LEGEND ON THE ORIGIN OF MANTOU

...instead he made an offering with buns stuffed with slaughtered livestock and shaped like human heads...

During the Three Kingdoms period, Zhuge Liang was supposed to made a ritual offering of 49 men heads and have them thrown into the swift-flowing river to appease the river deity. But he doesn't want to sacrifice his own men, instead he made an offering with buns stuffed with slaughtered livestock and shaped them like human heads. After that, they successfully crossed the river. Since then, the buns are known as 'mantou' (barbarian's head 蠻頭).

In my quest to find a fluffy classic mantou recipe, I've stumbled upon many recipes. While most of the time, pao flour was used, there are also recipes that uses self-raising flour. But since I am looking for a classic mantou recipe, I wanted to use a recipe that calls for wheat flour or all-purpose flour. After some digging thru' the many recipes online, I've finally found a perfect classic mantou recipe.

This mantou is soft and fluffy. It has a hint of sweetness so it is just as good whether you eat it by itself or with dipping, or stuffed with filling. Yummylicious!

To get smooth surface mantou, make sure that the steaming water does not drip onto your mantou during steaming.
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If your steam cover is flat (as per photo left), not the dome type, then you will need to wrap a cloth around the steam cover so that the steaming water will not drip onto the mantou.

If there are water dripping on the mantou, the surface will be wavy and wrinkled-looking, and your mantou may be wet too.

CLASSIC WHITE MANTOU
(Recipe adapted from GinsKitchen)

Prep Time : 110 mins
Cook Time : 20 mins
Total Time : 2 hour 10 mins
Makes : 8 pcs

Ingredients:
2 tsp instant yeast
300ml lukewarm milk
500g all-purpose flour, sifted
3 Tbsp + 1 tsp castor sugar
1 tsp vegetable oil

Directions:
1. In a small bowl, add instant yeast and a teaspoon of sugar to lukewarm milk. Stir and let the yeast mixture turn frothy.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir to combine all ingredients with a sturdy spatula/ wooden spoon until all dry ingredients are moistened. Knead with your hand as you continue to combine all ingredients in the mixing bowl, for approx. 5 mins. Let rest 5 minutes. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth, for approx. 5 minutes. Place dough in a mixing bowl and cover with cling wrap. Let the dough rest for one hour or doubled in size. Punch down the dough to release air.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a 25” x 6” rectangle. Fold 1/3 to the centre and dust off any extra flour before folding in another 1/3. Roll it out again to approx. 17” x 10” rectangle and brush the surface with water.

4. From the longer edge, roll the dough tightly to form a log. Trim off the sides of the log to make it even. Cut log into half and cut half again in each halves making it altogether 8 pieces buns.

5. Place each bun onto a muffin liner and arrange them in the steamer. Pour cold water in the steamer and let the buns rise for 20 minutes. Steam the buns for 20 minutes until they are cooked and puffed up.

6. Serve right from steamer!

Notes:
● The mantou can be stored in freezer for up to 3 months. Just reheat in a steamer for 5 mins after taking them out from freezer.

#msyummyliciousrecipe
Make this recipe? Don't forget to snap a photo of it and tag #msyummyliciousrecipe on social media! I would love to see them! Enjoy my recipe!

First Commenter...(+/-)

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Bandung Trip 2011, Part IV: A Pretty~licious Souvenir From Trinity

The next thing that i wanna share with you guys on my Bandung trip is a colorful pretty~licious edible souvenir from my old bestie, Trinity. It is actually a set of 10 colorfully painted steamed buns in different types of fruity shapes.

According to Trin,Andy Yang Pastry in which this souveneir was bought, is a very famous pastry shop in Bandung. Thanks to her, i managed to taste something from this shop. My first thought when i saw these pretty~licious was, "Oh my!! These are so cute and pretty! Can these really be eaten?" Well, of coz, when i ate these buns, i've peeled off the outer skin first. After all, too much of coloring will do you no good to your health, rite! :)