Steaming Soft Buns: Red Bean Filling Perfection

Red bean steamed buns are a popular dish in many East Asian cultures, including China, South Korea, and Japan. They are typically made with a sweetened adzuki bean filling and soft leavened dough, resulting in a fluffy and delicious treat. The process of making these buns involves preparing the red bean paste, creating the dough, assembling the buns, and steaming them to perfection. This recipe is a favourite for many, evoking childhood memories and providing a comforting dessert or snack.

Making the red bean paste

Firstly, you will need to soak your red beans, also known as adzuki beans, in cold water. This step is important as it helps to soften the beans and reduce the cooking time. Leave the beans to soak overnight or for at least 10 hours. You will know they are ready when they have expanded to about 2.5 cups of beans.

Once soaked, drain the beans and place them in a heavy pot. Cover the beans with water, ensuring they are always submerged during cooking, and cook over medium heat. The beans need to be cooked until they are very tender, which can take up to 90 minutes. If you are short on time, you can use a pressure cooker or instant pot to speed up the process.

When the beans are soft, drain them again and place them in a blender or food processor. Add your chosen sweetener—this could be white sugar, brown sugar, or even rock sugar—and a little water if needed to help with the blending process. Puree the beans until you have a fine paste.

The next step is to heat up the bean puree in a pan to reduce the moisture content. Stir the mixture constantly over medium-high heat until it becomes a soft paste. Be careful not to over-dry the paste; once it holds its shape and darkens in colour, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool. The paste will continue to firm up as it cools, so don't worry if it seems a little soft.

And there you have it! A delicious, creamy red bean paste that is perfect for filling your steamed buns. This paste can be made in larger batches and frozen for future use, or you can even use it in other desserts like mooncakes, mochi, or red bean soup.

Preparing the dough

To make the dough for red bean steamed buns, you will need the following ingredients:

• Flour (all-purpose, plain, or cake flour)
• Yeast (active dry yeast or instant dry yeast)
• Sugar (granulated or powdered)
• Water (lukewarm or room temperature)
• Milk (lukewarm, room temperature, or chilled)
• Oil (neutral cooking oil, vegetable oil, or coconut oil)
• Salt

You may also need a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment, a kitchen scale, and a rolling pin.

• In a large mixing bowl, add 1 teaspoon of sugar to 1/4 cup of lukewarm water. Stir in the yeast until dissolved. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy.
• Next, stir in the milk.
• Add the flour, sugar (powdered or granulated), and salt to the mixture. If using a stand mixer, attach the dough hook and turn the mixer on low. You can also knead the dough by hand.
• Knead the dough for about 5 minutes using the mixer or 8 minutes by hand, or until it becomes soft, smooth, and elastic. The dough should not stick to your hands or the bowl.
• Cover the dough with a plate and let it proof in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. You can proof the dough in a closed microwave with a mug of just-boiled water next to it.
• After proofing, put the dough back in the mixer and knead for another 2 to 3 minutes to remove any air bubbles. Alternatively, you can knead the dough by hand for about 5 minutes.
• Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface.
• Use a kitchen scale to divide the dough into equal portions. The number of portions will depend on the number of buns you want to make. For example, for 8 buns, divide the dough into 8 pieces. Cover the dough portions with a clean kitchen towel while you prepare to assemble the buns.

Now that your dough is ready, you can start assembling your red bean steamed buns!

Rolling out the dough

Once the dough is ready, transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface. Use a kitchen scale to equally divide the dough into 8 pieces (around 50g each). Cover the individual pieces with a clean kitchen towel while you work, to prevent them from drying out.

Take one piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Flatten the ball with a rolling pin until you have a disc that is around 4 inches in diameter. The edges should be thinner than the centre, as this will help to form the bun shape. Repeat this process for the remaining dough.

Now, place one ball of red bean filling in the centre of the disc. Gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch them together to seal. Place the bun, seam-side down, onto a square of parchment paper. Repeat this process for the remaining dough and filling.

Filling the buns

Next, you'll want to divide your dough into equal portions – most recipes suggest making between 8 and 18 buns, so you'll need to divide your dough accordingly. Take one portion of dough and knead it into a smooth ball, then roll it out into a disc, making the edges slightly thinner than the centre. Put one ball of red bean filling (around 25g) in the centre of the disc. You can use a scoop to transfer the filling to keep your hands and the wrapper clean.

Now, gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch them together to seal. Place the bun seam-side down on a square of parchment paper and transfer it to your steaming rack, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each bun. Repeat this process until you've filled all your buns.

Finally, cover your buns and let them proof for around 30 minutes. This step is important to ensure your buns have a smooth surface and don't collapse after steaming.

Cooking the buns

Now that you have your red bean paste and dough ready, it's time to assemble and cook your steamed buns!

First, prepare your work area. Line your steamer basket with parchment paper or brush it lightly with oil to prevent sticking. Place a cotton cloth or "steaming sheet" in the steamer basket to absorb any condensation. Fill your steamer with about 2-3 inches of water and bring it to a boil. Then, remove it from the heat and set it aside while you shape your buns.

Take your dough and divide it into equal portions—the number of portions will depend on how many buns you want to make. A typical portion size is around 30-50g per bun. Cover the dough portions with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out as you work.

To shape each bun, start by rolling a portion of dough into a disc, with the edges slightly thinner than the centre. Place a ball of red bean filling (about 25-30g) in the centre of the disc. Gather the edges of the dough around the filling and pinch them together to seal tightly. Place the bun seam-side down on a square of parchment paper, and transfer it to your steaming rack, leaving at least 1 inch of space between each bun. Repeat this process until you've assembled all your buns.

Once all your buns are assembled, it's time to proof them. Cover your steamer and let the buns rest for about 30 minutes. They will become light and plump as they proof.

After proofing, it's time to steam your buns. Reheat the water in your steamer to a lukewarm temperature and place the steamer baskets with the buns inside. Cover the steamer and cook over medium-high heat for 10-15 minutes. The water will slowly come to a boil, and your buns will steam.

Once the steaming time is up, turn off the heat but do not uncover the lid! Let the buns sit in the steamer with the lid on for an additional 5 minutes. This step is crucial, as it allows the buns to set and prevents them from collapsing or becoming wrinkled.

Finally, uncover the lid and serve your steamed red bean buns while they're hot! Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for later enjoyment. To reheat, simply steam the buns again for a few minutes, with no need to thaw if frozen.

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