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Tuesday, April 8, 2014

SWEET MUI CHOY AND PORK BELLY PAUS

The original recipe [pau skin and filling] is from Agnes Chan which was published in Yum Yum Magazine which I intend to follow but dropped the pau skin recipe as I noticed that the shortening used was quite a lot and the double action baking powder was not included but shown in the method.  As I was a bit doubtful about it, I retrieve my notes on other pau recipes which I had listed done to try.
I found  this recipe of Cheah's  [No Frills Recipes] having the same quantity as Agnes's recipe.  Must say that it is worth trying cos' these paus stay soft and fluffy even when cooled.  Thanks Soke Hah for sharing this lovely pau skin recipe but I did some adjustments to the ingredients and method [proofing step].
Home-made paus can be eaten without peeling off the skin

I modified the method slightly [the proofing step] and the paus turned out well. So now I have a choice of two workable/good pau dough recipes in hand depending on the quantity I wish to make. Either this recipe here [500 gm flour] or my Sure Can Pau Skin Recipe [350 gm flour]. Of course, Agnes's recipe below also yields soft and fluffy paus but the skin is a bit yellowish in colour. 

Paus with different pleats

See my niece enjoying the steaming hot pau for breakfast


Ingredients for Pau Skin - starter dough method 
Recipe Source - No Frills Recipes
[makes 20 paus]
2 1/2 tsp instant yeast
120 ml lukewarm water [original uses 100 ml]
130 gm pau flour - sifted
  • Mix ingredients together into a soft and rough dough.  Cover and leave to rest for 15 minutes.
370 gm pau flour - sifted
100 gm caster sugar [original uses 125 gm]
120-130 ml water  [original uses 100-115 ml]
2 tsp double action baking powder [original uses 2 1/8 tsp]
5 tsp shortening
Using a Dough Mixer or Hand Knead
  1. Combine all the ingredients [except shortening] with the yeast dough in a mixing bowl.  Knead until well combined [about 5-10 minutes].  Then add in the shortening, continue to knead until soft, smooth and elastic.   I find the dough texture is quite similar to that of my tortoise buns [Mi Koo].
  2. Shape into a ball and cover to rest for about 30 minutes [original is for 1-1 1/2 hours] or until double in size.   
  3. Punch down dough and remove dough to a floured surface.
  4. Divide into 20 equal portions [about 45-50 gm] and roll into balls.  
  5. Flatten each ball, then roll into flat circle.
  6. 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.
  7. Leave to prove for 45 minutes from the time you finished shaping the last pau or until double in size.  
  8. Steam over high heat for 10-12 minutes in a steamer.  Off heat and leave paus for a further 2-3 minutes before uncovering and remove to cool on wire rack. 
    Wrapping and pleating the pau 
This is a lovely pau filling and also a tasty dish to serve with porridge. Moreover, it is also very easy to prepare.  The original recipe uses garlic but I replace it with shallots [more aromatic].  This can be prepared a day earlier if using as pau filling.
For easy preparations, I used the skinless streaky pork belly [it's readily available at the pork stalls or non-halal section of the bigger supermarkets].
Sweet Mui Choy and Pork Belly Pau Filling
Recipe Source - Yum Yum Magazine with slight modifications
Ingredients
[enough as filling for 20 - 24 paus]
300 gm skinless pork belly - cut into thin strips
300 gm sweet mui choy - rinsed, soaked and cut thin shreds
1 tbsp chopped garlic [I used shallots]
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
200 ml water
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water
some chopped spring onions and toasted sesame seeds [optional]
  1. Pan fry sweet mui choy without oil in a wok for several minutes until soft and dry.  Dish out.
  2. Heat up wok, add in streaky pork belly to fry until almost dry and fat oozes out.  Add in oil [less if there is much oil from the meat].  Saute chopped shallots until golden brown [much healthier way as you can omit the oil].
  3. Add in the fried sweet mui choy, dark soy sauce and sugar.  Stir  to mix all the ingredients well [use a scissor to snip at the mui choy if the shreds clamp together - when using it as pau filling].
  4. Add in water, let it boil and simmer until soft and almost dry.
  5. Stir in the thickening to cook.  Dish out to cool before using.  [I added some spring onions and sesame seeds to enhance the flavour].
Ingredients for Making Paus - Recipe from Agnes Chan's book [see post]
[makes 20 paus]
500 gm pau flour - sifted
100 gm caster sugar 
240 ml water  
1/2 tbsp instant yeast
1.5 tbsp shortening [original uses 3 tbsp]
1 tbsp double action baking powder [I included here after checking]
  1. Using a Dough Mixer or Hand KneadCombine all the ingredients [except shortening and baking powder] 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 15-20 minutes or until double in size.   Add in baking powder, knead well to distribute the baking powder until the dough is smooth again.  Cover and rest for 15 minutes before shaping.  [Note: double action baking powder is added at this stage cos' it is believed to prevent yellowish looking paus]
  3. Punch down dough and remove dough to a floured surface, divide into 3 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 15 - 20 minutes or until double in size.  Spray paus with some water before steaming.
  6. Steam over high heat for 10-12 minutes in a steamer.  Off heat and leave paus for a further 3 minutes before uncovering. Remove paus to cool on  wire rack or serve immediately. 
Notes: Visit this site for its' Nutritional Facts [here]
I'm linking this post to Cook Your Books Event #11 hosted by

 Joyce of Kitchen Flavours
Cook-Your-Books

23 comments:

PH said...

Kimmy, you are our resident pau expert! My auntie has tried your pau recipe and she tells me that it is successful. Hmmm...when will be my turn to make pau? hee..hee...

Kimmy said...

Hi Phong Hong, once you get the basics right, hahaha! you can also be a pau expert...If you have a mixer to knead the dough, it's not difficult at all.

Unknown said...

It has been sometimes not making pau. I enjoy reading your pau recipes. Thanks for the explaination on the outcome of 2 recipes. Do you think cake /low protein flour works well too? Too many varieties flour at home. Better use what I have :p

Baby Sumo said...

The filling sounds yummy... your niece looks like she is enjoying it very much!

Kimmy said...

Hi Vivian, I'm quite afraid of pau recipes that are not workable. It may end up in the rubbish bin. I know we can use plain flour for paus. Not too sure about low protein flour. Perhaps, you can try using 50:50 [cake flour:plain flour].

Kimmy said...

Hi Yen, I thought she didn't like the vege in the filling but ended up asking if she can have another one. Has to be good.

Delphine said...

Hi Kimmy,

Your paus are so soft, good pau expert. Normally when I steam pau, the base is always wet, mine is a 3-tiers stainless steamer. By the way 5 teaspoon shortening is how many grams? Thanks.

Jessie-CookingMoments said...

Kimmy, this steamed buns look really delicious. I like the bao "skin," soooooo smooth!

Delphine said...

Hi Kimmy,

Your paus looks so soft & fluffy, just love it, will try but can I just do half of the recipe.
Thanks.

Kimmy said...

Hi Delphine, should be about 25-30gm. Perhaps you can try steaming the paus in 1 tier instead of 3 at 1 time.

Kimmy said...

Hi Jessie, I love this kind of pau skin. It's soft, fluffy and you can peel off so easily. Doesn't stick to your fingers.

Kimmy said...

Hi Delphine, I suggest you use my 'sure can' pau recipe if you like to make less.

Delphine said...

Hi Kimmy,

Noted, really appreciate and thank you so much for your kind reply, infact all these while I have been steaming in 1-tier only. Thanks.

kitchen flavours said...

Hi Kimmy,
Such delicious pau! I have used
Agnes Chang's pau recipe from one of her cookbooks, and it was good. Have not made pau in a while. I bought a pack of pau flour a few weeks ago, and have not got round to make any yet.
Thanks for sharing, wish that is breakfast tomorrow!

Delphine said...

Hi Kimmy,

Thank you so much, I just tried your 'sure can' pau recipe and it was a great success. Soft & fluffy. I tried placing a piece of steaming cloth before placing the pau & should say it is much better & not so wet. Thanks.

Kimmy said...

Hi Delphine, if you love making paus, it's worthwhile to get a bamboo steamer with cover. I had used mine [2 tier with cover] for over 15 years. Glad that your paus turned out well.

viv said...

hi kimmy! can i take the lazy way out and use canned stewed pork with the mui choy instead?

Kimmy said...

Hi Viv, is good idea too but I think the fragrance and taste could be a little different unless you know which brand is good and suitable. The fat content may be higher if using canned meat. The filling needs to be braised until really soft for better taste.

Chloe said...

Hi kimmy. How does this muichoy pork filling taste with bao?? Also do you have any water seepage with the bamboo tray?. Do you need to line the bamboo tray before steaming. All your baos look so fluffy and nicely pleated. Also which bao recipies use the 'sure can' dough,,??. Thanks Chloe.

Kimmy said...

Hi Chloe, tasted good, quite extra-ordinary and acceptable taste if you like mui choy. The filling is savoury and blends well with the sweet pau skin taste. Bamboo trays are best for steaming paus and buns cos' there are no water vapour condensation or seepage. The steamed paus and buns are dry at the base. No need to line it at all. Please look back this post above, I have linked a sure can pau skin recipe there. If you can master these two pau skin dough recipes then you can make paus with whatever fillings you like. BTW the pau skin for these recipes are not as sweet as those store bought ones yet they tasted good and I think it is much healthier. Happy Pau Making.

Anonymous said...

Hi kimmy. Thanks for info. So for pau u don't need to knead the dough like bread (window pane stage) right? Also after wrapping the pau just needs a short 15 to 20 mins resting time? Your pau skin is so fluffy and smooth looking. Will try more of your pau recipie and update. Spraying with water before steaming . does this help to get smoother skin?. Thanks . Chloe.

Kimmy said...

Hi Chloe, the dough must be kneaded till soft, smooth and leaves the bowl clean. If you are quick in pleating your paus, the best guideline is to rest the pleated paus for about 40-45 mins from making of the last pau. I follow this method for steaming all the paus in one go to prevent over proofing. I have not tried spraying water before steaming cos' I don't have a spray. Perhaps, you can try and let me know the outcome.

Anonymous said...

It?s difficult to find well-informed people on this topic, but you seem like you know what you?re talking
about! Thanks