饅頭 - Chinese steamed buns

[sfllaw]

Steamed buns
Originally uploaded by sfllaw.
Here is the recipe that my paternal grandfather taught me.
Ingredients

• 16 squares parchment paper, each 7cm by 7cm in area
• 350mL warm water
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• dash salt
• 2 teaspoons instant yeast
• 1.5 tablespoons oil
• 600g white bread flour

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and salt in the water, and then mix in the yeast. Let it rest for a while and it should smell active.
2. Add the oil to the mixture.
3. In a large bowl, add the flour and scoup out a hole in the centre. Add the liquids to the hole and gradually incorporate the flour.
4. Knead the dough until it forms into an elastic and smooth ball, which takes about 15 minutes. The dough should not stick to your hands, and be quite stretchy.
5. Roll out the dough into a tube that's about 5cm in diameter.
6. Slice the tube into 16 loafs. Lay each of the loafs on its cylindrical edge, not the face, on top of a square of parchment paper.
7. Wait 20 minutes for the loaves to rise. They won't rise much, but you just want the surface of the loaves to be puffy.
8. Arrange the loafs in one or more bamboo steamers. They will expand more on their faces, so don't put loafs face-to-face, or they will stick together.
9. Place the bamboo steamers on top of hot boiling water. Cover, and steam over high heat for 15 minutes.
10. Remove the lid and remove the loaves to a plate, before turning off the heat. You do not want water to condense on the buns.

Makes 16 loaves. Serves 4 when eaten by themselves (and you'll want to do that when they come out of the steamer.)