BEET ROOT TAU SAR PAUS

This pau was for CNY eve [pai pai] ancestral prayers.  Instead of the usual Mi Koo that is pinkish in colour, I made these paus using my basic 'sure can' pau recipe [here] and substitute the liquid ingredient with beet root juice [natural red colour].  The paus turned out well, soft and nice.  But the colour tone varies before and after steaming [see photos].  Before steaming the colour was bright but after steaming the colour changes a little.  I don't know why, anybody knows the reason and any remedy to maintain the beautiful colour? 

Since there was so much preparation for CNY that I have to do for my MIL, I didn't make the filling.  I used store bought Red Bean paste [Tau Sar], much easier.  My friend told me, I should have use Kaya [meaning sure rich, hehehe!].

Ingredients

[makes 16 pieces]

350 gm pau flour sifted together with 1 tsp double action baking powder
Mix together - 200 ml beet root juice/water [*]
40 gm caster sugar and 1/4 tsp vinegar

1 tsp instant yeast

1 tbsp shortening

[*] 100 gm beet root blended with 180 ml or more water - strained to obtained 200 ml beet root juice/water 
Filling - 250 gm Red Bean [tau sar] paste [store bought]

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.
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 2 round balls.   Then divide each ball into 8 equal portions. Shape each into a ball, then roll into flat circle.
   
4. 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.
   
5. Leave to prove for 45 minutes from shaping the last pau or until double in size.
6. Steam over high heat for 10-12 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].
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Notes:  Visit this site for its' Nutritional Facts [here]