Dou sha bao (red bean paste buns)

Ingredients

Dou Sha (Red bean paste)

• 150 g dried adzuki beans
• 1000 g water, plus extra for soaking
• 1 pandan leaf (see Tips)
• 180 g white sugar

Bao (Buns)

• 200 g full cream milk
• 2 tsp dried instant yeast
• 20 g white sugar
• 350 g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 30 g vegetable oil
• 1000 g water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar

Preparation

Dou Sha (Red bean paste)

1. Place a large bowl onto mixing bowl lid and weigh beans into it. Cover with water and set aside to soak for 6 hours or overnight. Drain beans through simmering basket.
2. Place water into mixing bowl and insert simmering basket with beans. Add pandan leaf and cook 40 min/100°C/speed 2 or until beans are soft. Remove simmering basket with aid of spatula. Discard pandan leaf and set beans aside. Transfer cooking liquid into a jug and set aside.
3. Place cooked beans, sugar and 100 g of the reserved cooking liquid into mixing bowl and blend 1 min/speed 4-9, increasing speed gradually from speed 4 to speed 9, then cook 10 min/100°C/speed 3.
4. Transfer into a sealable container and allow to cool completely before placing into refrigerator overnight (see Tips). Clean and dry mixing bowl.

Bao (Buns)

1. Cut out 20 squares (approx. 7 x 7 cm) of baking paper and set aside.
2. Place milk, yeast and sugar into mixing bowl and heat 2 min/37°C/speed 1.
3. Add flour, baking powder and oil and mix 6 sec/speed 6.
4. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula, then knead 4 min/knead until soft and smooth. Transfer onto a silicone bread mat or work surface and shape into a ball. Cover and allow to prove for 1 hour or until doubled in size. Clean and dry mixing bowl.
5. Knock down dough and divide into 20 portions (approx. 30 g each) and cover with a kitchen towel. Flatten each piece of dough into a circle (approx. 3 mm thickness). Place 1 teaspoon of the red bean paste into the centre of each circle and bring edges together, pleating edges to cover filling and seal bun. Place buns, seam side down, onto individual pieces of baking paper. Place into Varoma dish and tray, ensuring steam can circulate freely, cover with Varoma lid and set aside to prove for 30 minutes.
6. Place water and vinegar into mixing bowl and heat 6-8 min/Varoma/speed 1, until water is boiling. Place Varoma into position, secure Varoma lid and steam 12 min/Varoma/speed 1. Transfer onto a serving plate along with the baking paper and serve warm.