pufferfish shaped steamed black bean paste bun (゜))<<

Fugu (河豚 or 鰒; フグ^?, literally “river pig”) is one of our favourite makans when we are in japan.. especially when they have been nicely barbequed… serve it with an ice cold beer…..  (o⌒．⌒o)

this steam bun is very “elastic”….. it’s very easy to handle and knead to desired shape… plus, it is really soft!!!

Ingredients (makes 30 buns)
Dough 600g pau flour
6g yeast
5g baking powder
19g shortening
113g sugar
113 coconut milk
113g water

filling
600g red bean paste

decoration
chocolate food colouring
lemon yellow food colouring
sesame seeds (for eyes)

Directions

• mix all dough ingredients together and knead till you get a soft dough. set aside for 15 mins
• divide filling into 30 portions, or 20g each
• divide dough into 30 portions, i.e. 19g each
• colour remaining dough with lemon yellow food colouring
• wrap red bean paste into dough and stick yellow dough to form nose, and eyes onto fish. fix sesame seeds onto eyes as well
• pinch fins and fish tail
• dot chocolate food colouring onto fish body using toothpick
• steam buns for 15mins in steamer with boiling water

Personal notes:

– i used the back of the toothpick (i.e. not the sharp end) to dot the chocolate dots onto the puffer fish. after steaming the dots turned out quite large
– so you may want to dot using the sharp end of the tooth pick
– after the water boiled, my buns were steamed for 8 mins. after switching off the heat, i continued to let the buns sit in the steamer for 2 mins before removing the lid
– i used black bean paste instead of red bean paste

i really love these buns… the texture is sooo soooo fluffy…. i think this is my new found recipe for baos! ♥～(‘▽^人)

いただきます

… of course the traditionally shaped ones for his bento….

Pollution index: 298 (very unhealthy….ewwww)