Purple sweet potato steamed bun (Mantou)

 

How to turn plain steamed buns into beautiful and nutritious.

For the Chinese, steam buns (also known as mantou) are one of the most common staple foods on the family table as breakfast. Just like dinner rolls, it will be served at a westernised dinner.

 

The first time I made my steamed bun it was a plain white colour. It is just like taking the fermented dough, shaping it, and then putting it into the streamer to stream it. Ever since then, steamed buns have always been served as breakfast for kids before schooling. Sometimes, it becomes very monotonous to have a “plain steamed bun” as breakfast every day.

 

Today I am going to transform this plain steamed bun into a beautiful and nutritious. Just like ourselves, we often wear the same clothes and wear the same hairstyle, which will inevitably cause a weary feeling for ourselves. A small change in details can bring us completely different confidence and a good mood.  Do you agree? This theory also applies the same to our food, which requires constant changes in outerwear and shape to win the heart of the eater.

I am using sweet potatoes for this streamed bun. These sweet potatoes-bi-coloured buns are not only beautiful in colour, but also nutritious. Sweet potatoes are sweet and starchy root vegetables which provide a lot of health benefits and are easy to add to our diet.

 

These bi-coloured potato steamed buns are soft and have a faint potato flavour in the mouth. The more you chew, the more you bring the fragrance out. When the two-coloured doughs are rolled together, you will see a distinct layer of dough. The roll, cut and shape are the same as a cinnamon roll. 

This is a quick and easy recipe because I am using both yeast and baking powder, which will shorten the cooking process .Make some to freeze or refrigerate in the fridge. And it will be as soft and delicious as streaming for breakfast. 

I am using a Thermomix to prepare my dough where as to  put all the ingredient into the mixing to beat until all the ingredients well incorporated and the dough is smooth and elastic. You may knead the dough with electric stand mixer or bread maker with the instruction below.

The crucial step for making mantou is never adding too much of water to the dough especially when you are making the sweet potato dough. After steaming, sweet potatoes have high levels of humidity. Otherwise, the dough will be too sticky to handle. Add more flour if it's too sticky or more water (by table spoon) if it's way too dry. Only add in more water if you cannot gather all the flour into the dough. How much water depends on the moisture content of the sweet potato.

DO I HAVE TO ADD ALL THE WATER TO THE DOUGH?

 

The common practice is to add a little water if the dough feels too dry. In fact, holding back a little of the water from the recipe, and adding it in incrementally, going by feel rather than the measurement, is the preferred way to get a perfect dough.

 

DO I NEED TO WINDOWPANE TEST THE DOUGH?

 

You are not making bread dough. So, you do not have to do a windowpane test with the dough. As far as the dough is smooth, shinning and elastic.

 

TYPE OF FLOUR TO USED FOR STEAMED BUN

 

The choice of steamed bun flour is very important. Flour is divided into high-gluten flour, medium-gluten flour, and low-gluten flour. Steamed buns made with high-gluten flour are firmer and chewier, which is not my preference. White medium-gluten flour is softer. So, it depends on your preference. I use Hong Kong flour (also known as pao flour). It is like cake flour, that is highly blenched. It is recommended for making Chinese steamed buns.

 

HOW TO FERMENT THE DOUGH?

 

Prepare a pot with water for steaming. Turn off the heat after the water in the steamer is boiled. Keep the bamboo steamer on the kitchen top which is beside the steamer.

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR THE SECOND FERMENTATION? 

To ensure that the steamed buns are soft and fragrant, they usually carry out secondary fermentation. I set 30 minutes for the second fermentation. But the dough already rises in 20 minutes. You may observe that both sides of dough are already puffed up. 

INGREDIENTS (SWEET POTATO DOUGH) (PURPLE OR ORANGE)

200g flour (Hong Kong flour)

125g sweet potato (steamed and mashed)

60g sugar

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp cooking oil

1- 2 Tbsp warm water

½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp instant yeast

INGREDIENTS (WHITE DOUGH)

200g flour (Hong Kong flour)

40g sugar 

1 Tbsp cooking oil

140 ml  warm water

1 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp instant yeast

 

METHODS

 

1) Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into small cubes. Steam in the streamer for 15 minutes or until you can easily be mashed with a fork. 

 

2) In a large bowl of your electric mixer, add in all the ingredients and beat until all combines. If the dough feels too dry, add another tablespoon of water continue beating at medium low speed until  the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic.

 

3) Leave the dough on the table covered with plastic wrap or a bowl, let the dough rest for 5 minutes. 

 

4) While the  white dough is resting on the table. Make the sweet potato dough follow exactly the step as the white dough.

 

5) Roll the two pieces of the dough into two large and thin and the same rectangular size. Layer the white dough underneath and the purple dough layer on top. Or vice versa. Brush some water on the overlapping dough, to let the two pieces of dough stick together. Roll the dough to form a log, from top to bottom. Make sure you tuck and roll the dough, so it forms a tight log.

6) Cut the log into small sections with a sharp knife, about 2 inches wide. Place the streaming paper underneath each dough, then keep in a bamboo steamer, to let it proof for 30 minutes or double in size. Make sure you leave room for the rolls to rise, so they do not stick together after rising.

7) Prepare a pot with water for steaming. Turn on the heat and bring the water to the boil. After the water boils, place the bamboo steamer, cover tightly. Stream it at medium heat for 11 minutes. Turn off the heat, let it sit on the steamer for another 5 minutes before opening the lid. This will prevent the steamed buns from deflating due to temperature shock. Uncover the lid and serve it warm.

Hope you find this guide useful and learn how to make this beautiful and nutritious steamed bun.