Shandong Pork & Vegetable Steamed Bun I

I have been trying to reproduce the flavours of the Pork & Vegetable Bun that grandpa used to make when i was a child.  Why i name this Shandong Pork & Veg Bun? This is because the uniqueness is down to the filling. Grandpa is from Shandong, Northern China and this unique bun was only available at home. Today i am very happy, i can finally eat it again, but the final result in being able to make it, and share it with family, make me most proud.  Now i need to keep making it, and improve in making the bun look and taste nice!

Make 20
Time: Approx 1-2hrs

Bun Ingredients:

500g Plain Flour
250g Warm water
3tspn Baking Powder
1tspn Fast Action Dry yeast
1/4 tspn Salt

Filling Ingredients:

300g Minced Pork
200g Chinese Leaves Cabbage (Pre-washed & finely chopped)
5g Dried Cloud Ear (Pre-soaked)
40g Glass Vermicelli (1 small packet) (Pre-soak & chopped)
1Tbspn  ShaoHsing Wine
1Tbspn  Sesame Oil
1Tbspn  Light soya sauce
1tspn Salt
1tspn Sugar
1/8 tspn White Pepper
2tspn Corn flour
2tspn Veg Oil

 Instructions:

1) In the bowl, mix all bun ingredients together until dough is form.
2) Cover the bowl with cling film and leave aside to rise for 1hr.
3) Whilst waitng for dough rise, in a new bowl mix mince pork, chinese cabbage, cloud ear & glass vermecelli together, then add white pepper, salt, sugar, soya sauce, sesame oil, veg oil, shaohsing wine & cornflour to mix well with the meat & veg. Cover it up with cling film and put it in the fridge for 20-30mins.
4)Once dough is risen to twice the size, knead it and divide in 16 equal portions.
5) Each divided pastry, roll it into a ball and roll it into a flat circular pastry with a rolling pin.
6)Wrap some filling into pastry.
7)Set aside in a warm place for 15-25mins to let it rise further.
8)Put it in the steamer for 15-20mins.

Making grandpa's Shandong Meat & Veg Bun

When i lived with my grandpa, he often make this bun, have it on the side with my rice at dinner time, it was very yummy, but one was just enough.
 
Its Shandong meat & veg bun.... because it was what grandpa named it, and i think the unique is in the filling. You can buy normall meat & veg buns now, some you can panfry or steam. This one is home bun.
Anyway, grandpa is from the North China from a place in Shandong. Northern Chinese people staple diet is wheat, so lots of noodles, and bread.  Whereas, grandma is from Southern China.... and rice is the main staple.
So you can see i grew up with a compromise of North/South diet, usually daytime is noodles, night time is rice, or bit of both combo.
But i also had the fun of my parents taking me out for Western food. So food is very exciting when i was a kid.

So....it has been 20 years since i last had this bun, but really want to have it again. Making this bun gave me the driving force in baking.  I did ask my dad to teach me, but he often say 'oh its lots of hardwork, don't bother'. He is a chef, so day off in kitchen at home is last thing on his mind.
But my stubborn nature, made me want to quest further and find a way to achieve it. 

Today is the day, after so many weeks of experimenting bun making, and a few days looking at 2 recipe books,  I am going to make my grandpa's Shandong Meat & Veg bun. In doing so i have adapted bits of the 2 recipes and with help from my grandma, and my vague memory of what i think i grandpa did, and just cross fingers it would work.

First was the dough, mix it in a bowl until it form a dough, covered it with cling film and set aside to let it rise for 1hr.
However, the recipe for the bun said use cold water, but after this i think next time i will use warm water to form the dough instead. My instinct just felt cold water is not right. 

Filling was pretty simple, asked my mum for some glass vermicelli, and some cloud ear (dried funghi called Wan Yee), and i got the pork mince & chinese cabbage. Everything was fined chopped, then mix well with a basic marinade. Then pop it in the fridge for 20minutes.

1hr came, time to get the dough ready, from kneading it,  because i have doubled my recipe, i split my dough in 4, and work with one quarter each time. Again, giving it a good kneading on the not soo big wooden chopping board, then rolling it out into sauasge shape to split it in 10 equals. Then get my first little dough, dust some flour and roll it with the rolling pin in to a circle shape.  I try to imitate what my grandpa and my mum do, roll up and when down swirvel the dough with my fingers.... hard it is... i ended up doing what i got taught in home economics..haha.  Just more practice.  Once i knead a few into circles, its now getting the filling into the pastry and bun wrap it.  Need to try and manipulate your fingers, and swivel the bun round until you close the bun up. I did attempted the bun wrapping instructed in the recipe book, but i really thought my buns just dont look that great!
So as i carry on, i resorted to the circle on the board, put some filling, whilst trying to fold it to try and get a 6 petal shape at top. Then make sure underneath each bun to have some greaseproof paper, so it would not stick on the plate.

Anyway, because i don't have the steamer where my mum use on the stove... and my electrical steamer is far too small... will take ages to steam.... so used the next best thing - my wok with a sprong inside so started steaming 5 at a time for 15 mins.  

First batch was done....always tasting for Ken and me.  Ken really enjoyed it, and be honest from my heart it did taste good, the dough wasnt to sweet or too salty, the filling had the homey aroma - the smell of shaohsing wine & sesame oil. Being perfectionist, i felt the appearance - first impression dont look appetising..... so thats one thing i definitely can improve with more practice, secondly, think next time i need to use different brand of flour.... or a more refined sugar, as i feel the bun pastry taste and felt abit too lumpy.  Lastly, i am little disappointed in myself that once making these buns... i realise my memory of the appearance of the buns grandpa made is very vague. 
So conscious of it,  i boxed up the buns, one lot for my parents, one lot for my grandma.... after dinner i drove all the way to deliver the buns, and let them see and taste it.  My sis says it taste really nice, and a familiar taste. Mum just said well done.  But grandma is the crucial judge..... but she is always nice or diplomatic.... she looked at it, praise me for doing a good job being able to make it.  I obviously question what her first impression, and she said it looked very close to what grandpa did... and it will look even better next time. 

After chatting to grandma, think all doubt was clear from my mind..... what most important is that i delivered what i said i would do, i went and did the research,  think about it and got my hands dirty to make it and able to share it with my family. They can have it for breakfast, and also experience an long lost taste after 20 years. 
I hope if grandpa is looking down in heaven will smile and be proud. Jian Ban!

Filling recipe - Black or White Sesame

Black Sesame is a great alternative to red bean paste or custard cream for buns, pastry e
Ingredients:
100g    Black/White Sesame
2Tspn   Sugar
2Tspn   Butter
2Tspn   Peanut Butter

Instructions:

1)Put sesame seeds in a grinder and grind to powder
2)Add sugar, butter & peanut butter and mix well together.

Filling recipe - Custard Cream 1

Going to chinese restaurant to yamcha and a perfect steamed custard bun is on the table, bite into it you get the delicious yellowy filling in your mouth. This is nice and easy recipe and good for buns to steam or oven-bake.

Ingredients:
A)
1 1/2cup   Milk
100g        Sugar
B)
1/2cup  Coconut Milk
70g       Custard Powder
1           Egg
1/8tspn  Yellow Food colouring

Instructions:
1) In a saucepan, melt sugar with milk and let it boil (A)
2)Gather Ingredients B and mix A together and mix well.
3) Cook te mixture slowly in a pan until thicken
4Transfer mixture into a container. Let it cool and put in the fridege for 20mins

Filling recipe - Red Bean & Mung Bean Paste

You can easily buy red bean paste in any Chinese/Oriental paste in a can/tin. However, for some reason you can't find it, or you prefer mung beans instead, why not do it from scratch.

Ingredients:

Azuki beans/Mung beans
Butter
Sugar

Instructions:

1)Soak the beans with warm water overnight. Then drain off the water.
2)In a pan with fresh water and let it simmer for 1hr
3)Remove beans from the pan and press to drain off the excess water
4)Add small amoutn (approx 20g) of butter and sugar according to your taste.
5)Mix & crush smoothly with a wooden spoon in a wok/pan
6) Remove the paste from the wok into a container and allow it to cool.

Custard Cream Bun

To Make: 16
Time: 3hrs approx

Ingredients:

Bun
1lb        Strong White Flour
4oz       Sugar
1           Egg
2tspn    Yeast
2oz       Butter
2Tspn   Custard Powder
2Tspn   Milk Powder
8oz       Warm water

Filling
A)
1 1/2cup   Milk
100g        Sugar
B)
1/2cup  Coconut Milk
70g       Custard Powder
1           Egg
1/8tspn  Yellow Food colouring

Instructions:

Bun making
1) Place all bun making ingredients in a large bowl. Add the warm water.
2) Beat the dough for approx 8 mins with an electric mixer until its becomes strong and elastic.
3) Alternatively if without electric mixer, knead the dough by hand for approx 10 mins
4) Check the dough, it should be very elastic when pull apart.
5) Cover the dough with clingfilm and set aside in a warm place for approx 2hrs to let the dough rise.
6)When the dough becomes twice its original size. The fermentation is completed!
7) Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
8) Roll each portion into a ball shape and left to rest for 10mins

Filling Making
9) In a saucepan, melt sugar with milk and let it boil (A)
10)Gather Ingredients B and mix A together and mix well.
11) Cook te mixture slowly in a pan until thicken
12)Transfer mixture into a container. Let it cool and put in the fridege for 20mins

13) Divide the filling & roll into ball shape.(Alternatively, you can just use a teaspoon)
14) Wrap filling in dough and roll it into shape.
15)Place bun on greaseproof paper. Spray bun with water and set aside in a warm place for 20mins
16) When buns are approx 30% bigger, brush egg wash. Then bake for 14mins at 180C in  a pre-heated oven.

Tip: be creative with shape of the bun, inspired by red bean paste bun, i have flatten the dough by hand and us knife and cut it 2 sides of dought to form a bow-shape.

Bean Paste Bun

To Make: 16
Time: 3hrs approx

Ingredients:

Bun
1lb        Strong White Flour
4oz       Sugar
1           Egg
2tspn    Yeast
2oz       Butter
2Tspn   Custard Powder
2Tspn   Milk Powder
8oz       Warm water

Filling
1can Red Bean Paste.
Instructions:

Bun making
1) Place all bun making ingredients in a large bowl. Add the warm water.
2) Beat the dough for approx 8 mins with an electric mixer until its becomes strong and elastic.
3) Alternatively if without electric mixer, knead the dough by hand for approx 10 mins
4) Check the dough, it should be very elastic when pull apart.
5) Cover the dough with clingfilm and set aside in a warm place for approx 2hrs to let the dough rise.
6)When the dough becomes twice its original size. The fermentation is completed!
7) Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
8) Roll each portion into a ball shape and left to rest for 10mins
9) Wrap filling in dough and roll it into shape.
10)Flatten dough by hand & cut with a knife on 4 sides.
11)Place bun on greaseproof paper. Spray bun with water and set aside in a warm place for 20mins
12) When buns are approx 30% bigger, brush egg wash. Then bake for 14mins at 180C in  a pre-heated oven.

Sausage Swirl Buns

To Make: 16
Time: 3hrs approx

Ingredients:

Bun
1lb        Strong White Flour
4oz       Sugar
1           Egg
2tspn    Yeast
2oz       Butter
2Tspn   Custard Powder
2Tspn   Milk Powder
8oz       Warm water

Filling
1pkt of frankfurter sausages

Instructions:

Bun making
1) Place all bun making ingredients in a large bowl. Add the warm water.
2) Beat the dough for approx 8 mins with an electric mixer until its becomes strong and elastic.
3) Alternatively if without electric mixer, knead the dough by hand for approx 10 mins
4) Check the dough, it should be very elastic when pull apart.
5) Cover the dough with clingfilm and set aside in a warm place for approx 2hrs to let the dough rise.
6)When the dough becomes twice its original size. The fermentation is completed!
7) Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
8) Roll each portion into a ball shape and left to rest for 10mins

Filling:
9) Roll out dough in to long string-like then wrap it around frankfurter sausages.
10) Place buns on greaseproof paper. Spray with water and set aside in warm place for 20mins
11) Once the buns now approximately 30% bigger in size. Preheat oven, brush with egg wash & bake for approx 14mins at 180C

Egg & Ham Buns 火腿蛋飽

To Make: 16
Time: 3hrs approx

Ingredients:

Bun
1lb        Strong White Flour
4oz       Sugar
1           Egg
2tspn    Yeast
2oz       Butter
2Tspn   Custard Powder
2Tspn   Milk Powder
8oz       Warm water

Filling
4          Eggs
1can     Ham/Luncheon Meat (Spam ham)

Instructions:

Bun making
1) Place all bun making ingredients in a large bowl. Add the warm water.
2) Beat the dough for approx 8 mins with an electric mixer until its becomes strong and elastic.
3) Alternatively if without electric mixer, knead the dough by hand for approx 10 mins
4) Check the dough, it should be very elastic when pull apart.
5) Cover the dough with clingfilm and set aside in a warm place for approx 2hrs to let the dough rise.
6)When the dough becomes twice its original size. The fermentation is completed!
7) Divide the dough into 16 equal portions.
8) Roll each portion into a ball shape and left to rest for 10mins

Filling:
9) Fry eggs in a non-stick pan. Divide the eggs and ham 16 equal portions.
10) Wrap each bun dough with the fillings, and put it on greaseproof paper.
11) Spray with water and set aside in warm place for 20mins
12) Once the buns now approximately 30% bigger in size. Preheat oven, brush with egg wash & bake for approx 14mins at 180C

Picnic at Dunham Massey

We have been talking about going on a picnic for a long time, so look like we got our wish from the good weather forecast - so with my hardwork baking my all those lovely buns.... we head over to Dunham Massey Park.  

Its a wonderful stroll, even get to go up quite close and capture a few pics of a young deer that starting to grow his antlers.

After the stroll, time to find a good spot and sit down and have our picnic - ham salad sandwiches, the sweet & savoury buns I've baked last night, fruit, crisps as well as hot choc & our favourtie Vitasoy!

 With my ipod on... its a perfect day out :)

5 Buns delight 五味飽!

Wasnt gonna bake this weekend, as was thinking of going out to somewhere like Tatton Park for a nice stroll. But Ken had some last minute things to do.  And looking at the weather report, sunday is forecast to be a good day, so can go for a picnic lunch or something.
So flexing my hands and arms, i thought i make some sweet & savoury buns - which ones to make.... to be honest i always go with the flow... see what i fancy.....but main goal today is ham & egg buns!




Anyway, menu of today buns:

Sweets - Custard Cream buns, Red Bean buns & Pineapple Buns
Savoury - Frankfurter swirls & Egg & Ham Buns

Most important and essential is the dough, and because needs yeast... got all the ingredients, mix it all together and set the timer and left it for 2hours for it to rise. (This time i went out walk out round the shops, some fresh air for an hour.)



Meanwhile, i prepared all the fillings or toppings for my buns -

Pineapple Bun topping - Flour, butter, lard etc, mix it until it forms in to dough then i set it aside.
Custard cream filling - Custard powder, milk, coconut milk etc let it thicken, put it in a dish and let it cool down.
Red Bean Paste Filling - I know how to make it from scratch, but i used leftover red bean paste from a tin (my grandpa & dad uses it - so why not eh)
Egg & Ham - Opened a tin of luncheon ham AKA Spam, in a non-stick pan make some scrambled eggs
Frankfurter sausages - cut them in sizes. 

Once the dough have risen, i divided the dough into 4, but took one piece to work on, but put the rest in the boil and covered it.

Give the dough a good knead, grandma said the other week that grandpa used to say dough been giving a good knead would make the bread taste softer.  Then roll it into a sausage shape, then divided it.

For Pineapple buns i divided 8,  then roll it into ball shape, put it on cake cases, give it a little spray of warm water, and left it for 20mins. In the 20mins, i took my topping pastry, gave it a good knead, roll it into sauasage shape and divided it into 8 portions, roll it in the ball then with a rolling pin rolled it to a decent size. 
20mins came with my little hen timer - pop the topping onto the buns, give it a brush of egg wash, and pop in the oven for 14mins at 180C



For custard cream buns, again got the dough gave it a good knead, then divided it into 2. Put one half aside for the red bean paste. Anyway, half of the dough, more kneading, rolling sausage shape, divided it 8.
Roll it into a ball, flatten it, then scoop the custard cream filling, and close it, make it into a ball and put it on the cake cases on the baking sheet.   It was going to be a round shape, but once i got them on the baking sheet, i got my small knife, and cut into it and made it into a bow-shape. 
Again once done, spray abit of warm water waited 20mins for the bread to rise, then egg wash and into the oven for 14mins.



For Red bean buns, basically repeat what i did for the custard cream buns, but with my little knife, i cut into it and make it look like cross.  Again, wait 20mins, egg wah, then oven for 14mins.
Making some many different buns, being creative and a way to remember what is what is important when i eat it later ;p haha. Also, at that moment, i was happy that 3 years at secondary school learning pottery have helped me think creatively with my bun making ;p



Frankfurter buns - this is my favourite one to make, basically once i divided the dough into 16, then roll it into a ball and make it into a long string/sausage shape i swirled it around the pre-cut frankfurter sausage. Looks really pretty.  Again wait for 20mins, egg wash then oven for 14mins.

Finally, the egg & ham buns - this is a little tricky, trying to fold it and making sure the filling don't fall out.
but once in the oven, how much it look ugly before going in, they came out looking really good.

A whole days efforts, lots of variety.... make me a very happy.  Bun - power!!! haha

Ladies at leisure - Friday at the Radissons

After work 2pm...Friday afternoon hot chocolate challenge/ search is back on the agenda.

This time we are heading for somewhere relaxing, and somewhere abit posh - Radissons Hotel.



Sat on the comfy sofa, Mum & sis asked for a yummy hot chocolate, and i asked for a coffee with teacakes.
Munching away, whilst having our girly chit chat. 




We are agree... life is definitely about able to enjoy yourself.  Mum gave the hot chocolate 10/10. 




Think we definite come back here again!

Sweet steamed egg - best dessert for good skin

Being ill for so long, so i feel i need something to make me and my skin feel good.
So digged out grandma recipe....Sweet steamed egg, the rock sugar soothing the throat, milk & egg for the skin.
And it is very simple to make.

2 eggs
2Tbspn Milk
Big lump of rock sugar melt in boiling water



First in a saucepan put some bowling water to melt the rock sugar.  Once melted, let it cool down.


Whisk the eggs thoroughly, then add milk whilst mixing.



Mix cooled down sugar solution slowly in the egg mixture whilst whisking.



Pour it in a bowl and pop it in the steamer for 15-18mins. 



Tada! Enjoy!

Sweet Steamed Egg 冰糖澄蛋

Sweet steam egg is a simple dessert that is good your skin. Thanks to my grandma who gave me this recipe, even when i was a student, i always find time to make this and feel good.  Its definitely worth a try!

For One person:

2 eggs
2Tbspn Milk
Big lump of rock sugar melt in boiling water


1) First in a saucepan put some bowling water to melt the rock sugar.  Once melted, let it cool down.
2) Whisk the eggs thoroughly, then add milk whilst mixing.
3) Mix cooled down sugar solution slowly in the egg mixture whilst whisking.
4) Pour it in a bowl and pop it in the steamer for 15-18mins. (Until egg is set)

Sunday Bake-athon

After 3 weeks of being ill and not doing anything, today, the first sunday i actually feeling abit better, i spent today 3 hours baking!!!
Made a big batch of egg tarts, then had left over pastry, so i decided instead of keeping in the freezer, i quickly rolled it out and cut out lots of biscuits. 
After still think i had some more energy - i attempted the steamed red bean buns.  Tried this out because its apparently an alternative way, shorter time to soft dough which requires yeast.

 

Anyway, i followed the instructions, but the mixture was too sticky, so my instinct is to add flour, and i tell ya i dont know how much i put in it, but at the end i manage to get it to dough form and able to manipulate it and put some red bean inside, and roll it into balls, and put it on some pre-cut grease proof paper.
This way of making dough.... it felt bit like the rice glutinous flour.... need tons of patience and have pure concentration.  (i have soo much admiration for my grandpa now, who would be able to make all sorts of buns, and never make him stress about the dough.)

My steamer is small, so had to split it in small dishes and let it steam for 10minutes.




The final results

 

Then tasting... it was ok, was very pleased that it got to a final stage where i can eat it. But definite prefer to wait 2 more hours, for the soft and fluffy texture. 

Conclusion, if i make buns again, whether oven or steam... defo spare some patience for good results.. soft dough it is. But it was worth a try

Good 3hrs straight of baking.... ended with me splogging on the sofa and enjoy some brain-less tv ;p

Steam Red Bean Buns/ Steam Peach Buns

To make: 16
Time: 45 mins approx

A)
1/2cup    Sugar
1/2cup    Warm Milk
3/4tspn    White Vinegar

B)
3 Tspn     Lard
2 Cup      Self-Raising Flour
2             Egg White
1/4tspn    Ammonium Bicarbonate

1 Tin      Red Bean Paste


1) In a bowl mix sugar, warm milk and vinegar (A) together.
2) In another bowl add self-raising flour, lard, egg white & Ammonium Bicarbonate (B)
3) Pour ingredients A into B and knead
4) Knead to form a dough and set aside for 20mins
5) Divide and cut the pastry into 16 equal portions
6) Wrap filling into pastry and knead into a ball shape. Rest dough for 20mins.
7) Steam for approx 8-10 mins


Note: This recipe can also be used for Steam Peach Buns (birthday buns), but instead of a ball shape, knead dough into peach shape. After steam, whilst hot, use a think stick to form a line on surface, and spray with food colouring wiht a clean toothbrush.