Red Bean Buns

Red Bean Bao Buns

Anna Sullivan Total Time: 2 hours and 40 minutes (20 minutes prep, 15-20 minutes cook, 2 hours total rise) Servings: 8

Dough:

2 cups water 1 Tablespoon sugar 1 packet Active Dry Yeast (or 2 ¼ teaspoons) 4 cups flour Butter, margarine, or coconut oil for brushing

Filling:

1-15 ounce can red beans or 1 package of red bean paste 3 cups water ½ cup sugar ¼ teaspoons salt

Equipment:

Large bowl Wooden spoon Measuring cups and spoons Plastic wrap Tea towel Flat-bottomed container (if using canned beans) Large pot or saucepan Cookie sheet Colander, sieve, or ceramic plate & aluminium foil (optional)

This recipe is a really nice way to get started with Asian cooking with relative ease, and due to the fact it is easily modified, it is a great recipe for cooks of various skill levels! photo by: Theresa Lang

1. Add 1 cup of warm water (100-110 degrees Fahrenheit) and 1 tablespoon of sugar to a bowl, and add 1 packet (or 2 ¼ teaspoons) of active dry yeast and let sit for 10 minutes or until foamy. *if the yeast does not turn foamy, it’s dead and your bread won’t rise later, so restart this step with new yeast* 2. Add yeast mixture to 4 cups of flour, along with another cup of water. 3. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then turn dough onto a floured work surface and knead until it becomes smooth and doesn’t stick to your hands. Take a small corner of the dough and stretch it out between your fingers. If you can see light through the dough without it tearing, it is ready. 4. Once your dough is ready, form it into a ball, set it in an oiled bowl, cover with cling wrap (or oil the dough and cover with a tea towel) and let it sit in a warm spot for an hour and 15 minutes, or until it is doubled in size. 5. After rising, punch the dough down and cut it into 8 sections, form these sections into balls, oil and cover with a tea towel for another 30 minutes. 6. While that is rising, take a can of red beans, drain the liquid, rinse, and cook with three cups of water and a quarter cup of sugar until very tender. 7. Once the beans are done, transfer to a large bowl and mash into a paste with a flat bottomed container (small glass, measuring cup, ladle, etc) until smooth. 8. Add ¼ cup of sugar, and a ¼ teaspoon salt and stir until combined. 9. Flatten each dough ball, put 1 tablespoon of bean mixture in the center, then fold the dough over the bean mixture and seal, placing onto a plate seal side down. 10. Alternatively, if you have made dumplings before you can fold the dough over the mixture like a dumpling, creating a decorative seal that will face up. 11. Grease a cookie sheet, brush the tops of the buns with butter or margarine, and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes. • (Optional method for steaming)In a large pot or saucepan, set up a steamer, metal colander, large mesh sieve, or crush up 4 balls of aluminum foil, set those in the pot, fill with water halfway up the foil balls, and place a ceramic plate on top of the foil. For the sieve or colander, fill the pot up with water a ½ inch lower than the bottom of the sieve. Set the pot to boil. • Once the water is boiling, set buns up at least 1 ½ inches away from each other (or steam one at a time) and steam for 15-20 minutes. Make sure to keep an eye on the water level and ensure your pot doesn’t dry out. Click to watch!