Vegetable Steamed Buns ("Choy Pau" 菜包)

This is my 2nd attempt making the pau dough.  The first time I made is Char Siew Pau and confidently thought after steaming everything will turn out as to be white pau.  

I thought pau only mah.....what so difficult, knead, add filling, send it to steam, that's it.  But OMG, after I lift up the steamer cover, the paus are all full of yellow spots!  But I have already make sure I dissolved well the baking powder....sigh, it is still not well done.

So I make it again,  but this time is Vegetable Buns.  Before I lift up the steamer cover, I just cross my finger,  at least this time is much better though there are still little yellow spots around.  Hmm.... maybe my third time be more better?  Well, we learned better each time after we tried and tried, isn't it?

Vegetable Steamed Buns  ("Choy Pau" 菜包)
Recipe adapted from My Kitchen &   Minty's Kitchen

Dough Ingredients

150g Hong Kong Flour

50g wheat starch

30g icing sugar

4g instant dry yeast

80ml lukewarm water

¼ tsp white vinegar or lemon juice

15g vegetable oil or shortening

5g baking powder

5ml cold water

Dough

1. Sift the flours and icing sugar together in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the

    middle.

2. Fill well with lukewarm water, vinegar and yeast. Use a spatula, gently stir the water to

    dissolve the yeast then slowly bring together flour mixture.

3. Add in the oil and knead for 10-15 minutes until soft dough is formed. It should be

    smooth on the surface.

4. Cover dough with damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes or until it is doubled in size.

5. Dissolve baking powder in cold water – (make sure it is really well dissolved to

prevent yellow spots on the finished buns), sprinkle over dough and knead until

well combined.

Divide dough into 7 or 8 (I made 7) equal portions and flatten with a rolling pin into

circle. Then place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the middle, wrap and pleat the dough

to seal. Place it on a ~6cm square piece of baking paper.

6. Preheat the steamer over a pot of rapidly boiling water. Spray water mist over buns,

     and place into the steamer basket and place the lid on for 12 minutes. Remove buns

     from steamer and cool on rack to prevent soggy bottom.

Filling Ingredients
250g jicama (yam bean), juliened
25g dried shrimps, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

Seasonings (to your taste)

Salt, white pepper, 5 spice powder (abt ¼ tsp), sugar
Some water

Some oil
 

Heat oil and saute the garlic and dried shrimps until aromatic.

Add in jicama, seasonings and some water and fry until soft.

Set aside to cool. 

Well, making pau at home is always more economical and healthier, isn't it.  So it doesn't 

matter it doesn't look perfect.