STEAMED PAUS - PURPLE SWEET POTATO FILLINGS

Realised that yummy paus need not have to look good.  I was at the temple for 9 days for vegetarian meals and they served various types of paus daily [hundreds of them], all made in their own kitchen by helpers, some who have never made paus before.  Yet, the paus turned out to be yummy eventhough they don't look perfect.  The size and shapes are not flawless but the skin is soft and fluffy.

I told myself, should try their way, don't expect the paus to look flawless.  So long as the pau skin is soft and fluffy with any edible, tasty fillings, it should be awesome. The pau making craze came back and I have been using this pau skin dough recipe to make paus with various fillings from savoury to sweet [yambean dried prawns, peanuts/sesame, peanuts/sesame/meat floss/pumpkin/sweet potato etc].

These are good, though the shapes do not look attractive.  The filling is not too sweet and the sweet potato flavour is noticeable.  I am happy with them.  The pictures do not look good either because I made these paus on a gloomy afternoon.

Ingredients

[makes 10 paus]
250 gm pau flour
1 tbsp wheat bran [optional]

40 gm icing sugar

2 tsp instant yeast

120-150 ml water

20 gm shortening

Ingredients For Filling

200 gm purple sweet potato - steamed/mashed

50 gm sugar

200 ml water

1 tbsp butter

1. For Filling - mix mashed sweet potato, sugar and water in a mixing bowl.  Sieve through a wire mash to get a smooth paste.  Stir paste in a non stick pan together with butter until the paste is thick and leaves the pan clean.  Cool and store in a container.  Chill in fridge  until required.
   
   
   
   
   
   
2. For Skin - combine flour, wheat bran, sugar, yeast in a mixing bowl.  Gradually add in water to mix into a rough dough [may not need to use all the water].  But I used more maybe because I added wheat bran.
3. Add in shortening, continue to knead until dough is soft and smooth.  Shape into a round ball, leave in bowl, cover to rest for 20 minutes or double in size.
4. Punch down, roll into a ball, then divide into 8, 10 or 12 equal portions according to own preference.  Shape each portion into a ball.
5. Flatten each ball and wrap enough filling, seal the edges well into a pleated or round pau.  Place on a piece of parchment paper in a steaming tray [I used my electric steamer].  Finish making the rest.
6. Cover and leave to proof for 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
7. Steaming over high heat for 10-12 minutes.
8. Off heat, remove to cool on wire rack before storing or serve immediately.