中式花样馒头 - Chinese Steamed Buns

Chinese cooking, like most of Asia, focuses first on a starch like rice or noodles, then adds an accompaniment of meat or seafood, rather than meat first, starch and vegetables second, as found in European-influenced cuisines. Recipes in China are as diverse as the language, with its 80,000 characters, and Chinese immigrants have brought this complex culinary heritage to almost every region of the world.

Yield:

Serves 4

Ingredients

1. For the starter:
2. ===============
3. 200 g All-purpose flour
4. 1/8 tsp Salt
5. ½ tsp Active dry yeast
6. 110 ml Lukewarm water (at 38C/100F)
7. .
8. For the dough:
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10. 200 ml Milk (you can add in drops of food colouring if desired)
11. 350 g All-purpose flour
12. 5 g Active dry yeast
13. 80 g Sugar
14. 100 g Prepared starter dough
15. 15 g Butter

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl soften the dry yeast in the lukewarm water. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Mix till smooth. Cover with the greese-proof wrapper or wet towel and let stand at room temperature for about half an hour.
2. This recipe requires only 100 grams starter dough. Divide the rest of them into 2 portions and store in a fridge. Preferably use up the dough starter in a month before the yeast is still effective.
3. Mix together all the ingredients for the main dough except the butter. Knead to form a ball. Add in the butter and knead on a lightly floured board until the ball has become smooth and elastic. Cover with damp cloth. Let rise until double in bulk. Punch the dough down and divide them into small doughs, each about 80 grams. Form them into the desired shapes.
4. Let the buns rest for 20-30 minutes and steam over the middle heat for about 12 minutes. Leave the buns in the steamer for about 2 minutes before the serving.

Notes