Steamed Red Bean Paste Buns ( Dou Sha Bao, 豆沙包)

Steamed Red Bean Paste Buns ( Dou Sha Bao, 豆沙包)

Red bean paste buns, or "Dou Sha Bao" in Chinese, are steamed buns filled with sweet red bean paste. They are popular treats in Chinese cuisine.

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Prep Time: 1 50

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 2 10

Servings: buns

Calories: 191kcal

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup warm water
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon olive oil

Red bean paste filling:

1 cup raw red bean
3 tablespoons sugar adjust to taste
1 tablespoon butter
3 cups water

Instructions

To make the red bean paste filling: Rinse the dried red beans under cold water until the water runs clear. Soak the beans in water for at least 8 hours. For a homemade red bean paste, you can start by cooking pre-soaked red beans in a small saucepan with water until tender and easily mashed with a fork. About 1 hour. Add sugar for sweetness and butter to create a smooth red bean paste. Smash the tender red beans until you achieve a smooth, thick paste consistency. ( I used a masher; you can also use a food processor if you prefer a smoother paste). Let the paste cool, and set aside.
You can always make the paste ahead of time to save yourself some time, or an even quicker way is to purchase some premade red bean paste from most Asian grocery stores or online.
To make the dough: Mix the dough In a large mixing bowl, combine all-purpose flour, sugar, warm water, baking powder, yeast, and oil. Attach the dough hook attachment to your stand mixer and knead the ingredients until a smooth dough ball forms. (You can also knead by your hand) Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the dough doubles in size. (If you use instant yeast, it works faster, like 10 minutes. I used active dry yeast because that is what I had on hand at the time of cooking) This step is crucial for achieving that fluffy texture in your buns.
Shape the buns once the dough has risen, divide it into equal portions. Roll each portion into a ball with a rolling pin and flatten it into a circle.
Spoon a generous amount of red bean paste onto the center. Gather the edges of the dough and pinch them together to seal the filling inside, forming a smooth bun.
Place each filled bun on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving some space between them for further rising.
Steaming the buns: Arrange the filled buns on parchment squares in bamboo steamers. Steam them until they become puffy and cooked through, which takes about 15 minutes. Once the 15 minutes are up, turn off the heat and leave the buns in the steamer for an additional 5 minutes. Cover the steamer tightly with the lid to allow the buns to set. Do not open the lid, otherwise they will collapse.
Enjoy!

Nutrition

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