CHIVES AND PRAWNS PAUS/ROLLED BUNS

The pau skin recipe was from Jane's Corner but I doubled the portion since I have enough of milk needed for the dough.  I noticed the quantity of shortening/butter used was quite a lot than normal, so I reduced it.  This pau is soft and moist.  Surprisingly, the pau is not yellowish even though plain flour and butter were used to make them.

For the filling, I used chives [kucai] and prawns to make a savoury filling with a sweet pau skin.

I used half the dough to make them into pau shape and the other half portion in rolled buns.

Ingredients for Pau Skin

400 gm plain flour

80 gm castor sugar

1 tsp instant yeast

1/4 tsp pinch of salt

200-220 ml milk

1 1/2 tbsp butter

Using a Dough Mixer or Hand Knead

1. Combine all the ingredients [except shortening] in a mixing bowl.  Knead until soft [about 5-10 minutes].  Then add in the shortening, continue to knead until soft, smooth and elastic [very important step].
2. Shape into a ball and cover to rest for about 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
3. Punch down dough and remove dough to a floured surface, divide into 4 round balls. 
4. Use 2 portions to make into pau shape.  Divide each ball into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a ball, then roll into flat circle.
5. Wrap filling with each flatten dough.  Gather the edges and shape into pleated paus or round balls.  Place on parchment or greased proof  paper in the steaming tray.  Do the same for the other portion.
6. Leave to prove for 20-30 minutes.
7. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes in a steamer.  Off heat and leave paus for a further 3 minutes before uncovering to cool on rack. This is to prevent wrinkle, rough skin [sometimes  they may be a little wrinkle - probably because of proofing time but the texture is unaffected].

Rolled Steamed Buns with Kucai and Prawns Filling

1. Use the other 2 portions to make into rolled buns.  Roll 1 portion into a rectangle [about 6" x 8"]. 
2. Spread some filling from one end to the other leaving some space at the end.
3. Roll the dough into a roulade shape [swiss roll]
4. Seal the edges well, then cut into 4 equal pieces.  Place each piece on parchment or greased proof  paper in the steaming tray.  Do the same for the other portion.
5. Leave to prove for 20-30 minutes.
6. Steam over high heat for 10 minutes in a steamer.  Off heat and leave paus for a further 3 minutes before uncovering to cool on rack. This is to prevent wrinkle, rough skin [sometimes  they may be a little wrinkle - probably because of proofing time but the texture is unaffected].

Kucai and Prawns Pau Filling

200 gm shelled prawns - smashed and chopped coarsely

[mix with 1 tsp each of salt, sugar, sesame oil, shaoxing wine and cornflour,

1/2 tsp pepper]

100 gm kucai [chives] - washed and diced

1 tbsp each oil and chopped garlic

  

1. Heat oil to fry garlic until aromatic.  Add in kucai.  Fry for a few seconds.  Dish out to cool.
2. Mix seasoning to prawns, then add in the cooled kucai.
3. Stir to mix well into a paste.