Steamed Bread & Steamed Buns

Steamed Bread and steamed buns are a chinese speciality that is not served in very few Chinese restaurants in Mumbai. I was really pleased with what I achieved here. I had a recipe that was noted down almost 20 years back when I had just started college. It fascinated me then but my bread making skills were non-existent then :-)



Steamed Bread



Ingredients



4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup warm milk

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp rapid rise yeast

3 tsp sugar



Method



Stir the sugar and yeast in the flour. Place the salt in the center of the flour. Pour the warm milk and water. Knead until you get soft, pliable dough which bounces back when you press it slightly. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with cling film for about 1 1/2 hour until the dough is more than double.

Knock down the dough and divide into four large balls. Roll them in a largish rectangle. Apply some sesame oil and roll it from the long side tightly. Cut them into 2 inch circle. Flatten them slightly and place them on well oiled baking paper/butter paper. Cover with cling film or a damp cloth. Allow to rise for 30-50 mins. You can actually try to make them in any shapes you desire. I was trying to make steamed flower buns but it was a disastrous attempt so I gave up and just placed the concentric circles instead.



Steamed Open Buns



Ingredients



Steamed Bun dough



Filling

1 cup grated cauliflower

1/4 cup grated carrot

2 flakes garlic grated

1/2 cup boiled shredded chicken (optional)

1 tsp chives flakes

1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp lemon sauce (optional)

1 green chill chopped fine

1/4 tsp sugar

salt to taste

2 tbsp oil



Method



Heat the oil in a flat frying pan. Add the garlic and green chill and stir fry for a min. Add the grated vegetables, chives, pepper sugar & salt to taste. Stir fry on high for some time till the vegetables are dry. If it burns you can reduce the flame. Allow it to cool, add the lemon sauce, chicken and mix well.





Roll the dough into a rectangle. Spread the filling into a very thin layer. Roll it from the long side tightly and cut into 2 inch concentric circles. You would get beautiful concentric circles speckled with colors of the filling. Keep on a well oiled butter paper. Cover with cling film or a damp cloth. Allow to rise for 30-50 mins.



For steaming the buns/ bread



You can use a steamer or if you do not have one you can use a flat sieve placed on a thick bottomed vessel filled with water. The water should be at least a 2 inches below the sieve. Line the sieve/ steamer with butter baking paper/ banana leaves. Allow the water to come to a boil and place the sieve on it. Cover the sieve and allow the steam on full flame for 8-9 minutes. When done, remove the sieve from fire. Remove the buns/ bread alongwith the baking paper and allow it to cool. Meanwhile refill the vessel with water and prepare the next batch of buns/ bread to be steamed.



The best thing about steamed bread is that you can make it ahead and keep them in the refrigerator. Allow them to come to a room temparature (about 30 mins). When you are ready to serve, you just need to steam for about 3 mins and they taste just fine.



This is my entry for Yeastspotting