Orange Sweet Potato Steamed Bao (Bun)

Makes about 15 pieces Baos

Chinese Steamed Bao (Bun) is more popular and preferred order at Dim Sum Eateries, simply because it is more fulfilling. Chinese Steamed Boa (Bun) is also the favorite "Do-It-Yourself" of housewives as compared to other snacks, because it is so easy to master.

Texture of Orange Sweet Potato Steamed Bao (Bun) are so soft and fluffy. I used local Blue Key's Bao Flour. The dough of Orange Sweet Potato Steamed Bao (Bun) is heavy due to added mashed sweet potato, so, double action baking powder (DABP) is added to this recipe to make the Bao proof and form thoroughly. 


Texture of the Bao (Bun) looks rough and harsh if you use self-raising flour instead of DABP. For example you use 400g bao flour + 160g self-raising instead of DABP. 

Here is the recipe.

A: (Mixed just prior to using)

    4 tsps Instant Yeast

    200ml Water (Room temperature)

B: 560g Blue Key's Bao Flour

    200g Icing Sugar

    40g Vegetable Shortening (You can replace with any cooking oil)

    300g Orange Sweet Potato (Peeled, steamed and mashed whilst hot)

    2 tsp Double Action Baking Powder (DABP)

Material needed:

20 Cupcake liner (Flattened)

I used organic Japanese sweet potato. It is quite pricey MYR8.50/kilo but I like it because it is so sweet and the color is so beautiful.

Steamed and mashed the orange sweet potato whilst hot. Tips: Fill some hot water if dry when you're mashing the sweet potato. We want to get moist sweet potato paste. 

   

Combine ingredients A. place 200ml water in a small bowl, sprinkle with yeast and let it stand until foamy, about 15 minutes. Set aside. Sieve all dry ingredients. Combine B, the B dry ingredients in a big mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture, add in yeast mixture. Mix all ingredients slowly with a spatula to form a ball.

Invert the dough onto a tabletop. Knead it with your palms for 15 ~ 25 minutes till becomes shiny, soft, smooth and elastic dough. If you find it too sticky to knead, dust your hand, work place and dough with some flour before you start working on it.

Return dough to the bowl. 

   
Prevent the dough dries up, cover it with a piece of wet kitchen cloth, let it proof for 30 minutes or till double.

The dough is almost double the size. It should be ready to used. Tips: Do not over proof the dough. The dough will cause wrinkle skin on the Bao. See my last picture. I ate all those wrinkled skin baos, and given away nice looking one to my MIL. 

Punch down the dough and give a few light kneading to release the trapped air bubbles. 

Roll dough into long strip, cut and weight into 60g each. Roll each portion into a smooth round balls. Flatten each dough into long oval shape 17cm long X 2cm width one end X 6cm width at the other end, with a small rolling pin, roll it up from big (6cm) to small (2cm) point. From big 6cm roll roll roll... till 2cm there to form a Boa like picture showed above (first picture).

Place dough on the cupcake liner. Cover loosely with a piece of clean and dry kitchen cloth to prevent it from dries up. Let the Bao to have second proof for another 30 minutes.

Bring water to a rapid boil, place bao in a steaming rack and space them apart so that they do not touch one another. Steam at medium to high heat for 10 minutes. When ready, remove the lid carefully to prevent water from dripping over the bao. 

Remove immediately and cool it on the rack. Keep any leftovers in the fridge. Store in airtight containers and re-steam till hot before serving.