Bean Paste Buns (Dou Sha Bao)

Soft, Smooth, and Sweet Bean Paste Buns

For many Chinese people bean paste buns, also known as Dou Sha Bao in Chinese, have been their favorite since childhood. While Chinese desserts may not be as abundant as they are in western cuisine, sweet and silky bean paste is an important ingredient for Chinese pastries. In particular, Cantonese bean paste buns are exceptionally soft and delicious.

Secret Culinary Tips

There are three main steps to creating delicious, silky bean paste that is not overly oily:

The red beans must be boiled thoroughly so that they swell and become mushy.

They must be stirred thoroughly into a soft paste.

The bean paste must be stir-fried with brown sugar and crystal sugar until the sugar dissolves.

The brown sugar adds color, while the crystal sugar adds a sparkling luster.

Bean Paste Buns In Bamboo Steamer — Bean Paste Buns in Bamboo Steamer

Ingredients

4 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
1.1 pounds (500 grams) red beans

Seasonings

1 teaspoon (5 grams) yeast
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking powder
1/4 cup (50 grams) white sugar
2 ⅓ tablespoons (30 grams) brown sugar
0.56 ounce (16 grams) crystal sugar

Please see measurements in grams to be more exact for all ingredients and seasonings.

Cooking Directions

Preparations

Wash red beans and place in pressure cooker. Add water up to about your first knuckle in volume, ensuring it doesn't cover the beans completely. Boil for approximately 1/2 hour. After dissipating steam from the pressure cooker, open the lid. Over medium heat, roast the red beans until they swell and become mushy. Boil until the surface of the beans is dry.

How to make red bean paste

Place red beans in blender and add a bit of cold water. Blend into a paste. Heat a pot. Add red bean paste, brown sugar, and crystal sugar. Stir-fry over low heat until sugar completely dissolves. This is the bean paste filling.

How to make the dough

Add baking powder to all-purpose flour. Mix evenly. Create a crevice in the center of the flour. Add yeast, white sugar, and 1 cup water into this crevice. Stir sugar and yeast until it dissolves, then knead together with the flour until a dough with a smooth surface is formed. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit for approximately 2 hours or until the dough doubles in size.

Divide dough into strips of equal width and size. Knead each piece into a circular shape, then roll it into a tongue shape. Roll it up from top to bottom, making sure the seam is facing up. Fold from left to right three times with the seam on bottom. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.

How to assemble bean paste buns

Divide bean paste filling into equal parts of a size corresponding to the size of the dough pieces. Rub a bit of salad dressing on your palm, then rub each portion of bean paste filling into a ball one by one.

Press the dough pieces flat. Use a rolling pin to make them into dough skins of appropriate thickness. Place one portion of bean paste filling in the dough skin. Use the area between your thumb and index finger to close the edges of the dough skin, gradually closing it up. Make sure the opening is facing downward. These are the uncooked bean paste buns.

Put it all together

Place oil paper or moist gauze at the bottom of a steamer basket. With the openings facing downward, place bean paste buns inside, leaving ample space between each one. Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.

Add appropriate amount of water to pot. Add steamer basket to pot. Bring to boil over high heat. Steam for approximately 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for approximately 3 minutes before serving.