Red Skin Bun [Mi Koo] Using Bread Maker

These buns are usually made for praying [more often for ancestral praying]. It is always cheaper to make our own instead of buying them. It can be made days ahead and can also be kept in the freezer for a long time. To serve, just leave bun in room temperature and steam for 15 minutes and it is ready to go with a cup of hot coffee.
I use a breadmaker machine to knead the dough [used dough function ].

Ingredients
[makes 8 pieces]
A]
600 gm plain flour - sift together with baking powder
1 heaped tsp double action baking powder
B] 1 heaped tbsp vegetable shortening
C]
250 ml warm water
150 gm caster sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp coconut milk
D] 1 1/2 Tbsp instant yeast
E] 1 tsp rose pink colouring mix with 100 ml water
8 pieces of greased proof or parchment paper [3 inches x 5 inches]

1. Mix [C] together till sugar dissolve and add to breadmaker pan. Top up with sifted flour and add in instant yeast. Let the breadmaker kneads the dough for about 5 minutes then add in vegetable shortening. Continue kneading process till dough function is completed.
2. Remove dough from pan onto a floured board. Punch down dough to release air then roll out into a long log and cut into 8 equal pieces [about 150 gm/piece]. Form each piece into a smooth round ball then press roll from the centre to form an oblong shape dough. Put dough onto a piece of paper. Complete the same for the rest. Leave to proof till double in size [about 30 minutes]. Before steaming, brush dough with rose colour water.
3. Heat enough water on high heat in wok. When water is boiling, put steamer [I use 2 x 14" bamboo steamer] over the water and steamed for 20 minutes [see above photo].
4. Off heat and leave steamed buns in steamer [covered] for about 3 minutes before uncovering to remove buns to cool on rack. The purpose is to get a smooth skin bun. If using other steamers be careful of water vapour that may drop onto the buns.

Notes:

• Can substitute warm water with fresh coconut water, the buns will be even more fragrant
• Buns can be eaten fresh after steaming or sliced and spread with butter or to wrap roasted pork [siew yoke] or braised soy sauce pork belly.
• Can leave the bun skin plain if not for praying purpose.