STEAMED PAUS - PANDAN TAOYONG FILLING

Making paus is not difficult if you have the perseverance and patience to try until you succeed.  It may not be smooth sailing but it is worth giving it a try.  Stick to a sure can [fail proof] pau skin recipe and you are sure to create indefinite varieties of paus with various fillings [sweet or savoury] and in various shapes.

Sweet pau fillings are easily available from the stores which makes pau making at home less tedious.  You can even try preparing any pau filling that you are confident with.

The pau filling which I used here is from the store, the sweetness and taste is acceptable to me.  You can used less filling if the paste is too sweet.  Personally,  for home consumption, I prefer paus with a thicker skin with less filling.

Ingredients Pau Skin Dough

[makes about 20 paus]

500 gm pau flour

1 tsp instant yeast

1 tsp sugar

270 ml lukewarm water or slightly more [add gradually]

Pau Filling

250-300 gm Pandan Taoyong Paste - store bought [can used any store bought sweet paste of your choice]

1. Combined sugar with some water in a cup or bowl.  Sprinkle in yeast and leave for 1 minute or so.  Stir until dissolved.  It should be smooth and silky.
2. Gradually pour into flour, mix into a rough dough.  Gradually add in remaining water and knead until dough is soft, smooth and pliable.  
3. Shape into a ball, dust with some flour to prevent sticking to hand.  Place in the mixing bowl, cover to rest for 20 minutes or until double in size.
4. Punch down dough, then roll into round.  Divide into 20 equal portions and roll into balls.  Flatten each one in circle. Flatten the edges, place filling [about less than a tablespoon] in the centre, gather the edges together to seal to make a round pau or pleat the edges into a pau shape.
5. Place on parchment paper and steaming tray.  Proof for about 20-30 minutes or until double in size.
6. Finish doing the rest.  Place steaming tray over rapidly boiling.  Cover to steam for 12 minutes.  Off heat, leave in steamer and remove paus only after 2-3 minutes.
7. Cool on wire rack or serve immediately.