Grandma's steamed pau (菜包）

Ingredients for dough

500g plain flour

150g sugar

2 tbsp butter/vegetable oil

2 tsp instant yeast

150ml warm water

Ingredients for fillings400g yam bean (沙葛，shredded）

150g carrot ( cut into thin strips )
4 pcs dried black fungus ( soaked and cut into thin strips)
100g fish cake ( cut into very small pieces )
50g dried prawn ( soaked and pounded)
4 shallots ( sliced into thin pieces)
1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp dark soya sauce
2 tbsp light soya sauce
1/2 tsp salt
dash of pepper
some oil
20 pcs white square paper(3"sq)

Preparation for dough
1. Put all the ingredients (except water) in a large mixing bowl and add in water bit by bit and knead dough slowly until smooth.
2. Cover with a piece of damp cloth and set aside for 1 1/2 hours.






3. Heat 3 tbsp oil in saucepan and stir-fry the shallots until fragrant.
4. Add the dried prawn and stir fry for 3 minutes.
5. Put in the fish cake, carraot, black fungus and oyster sauce to stir-fry.
6. Add in the yam bean, salt, pepper, light soya sauce and dark soya sauce and stir-fry to mix well.
7.If it's too watery,sprinkle a bit of cornflour over it and stir-fry for a while to mix well. Dish out and set aside to cool.



8. After 1 1/2 hours the dough will rise to double its size. Punch out the air with your knuckles and knead for about 1 minute.
9. Cut into 20 portions and lightly roll into round shapes.
10. Hold a piece in the palm and place filling in the center.

11. Gather the edges and press together.
12. Close last fold by twisting.
13. Place the pau on white square paper.

14. When finish, set aside for about 10-15 minutes for the pau to rise.
15. Arrange the pau in the steamer with gaps in between as the they will expand further during steaming.
16. Steam for 15-20 minutes.
17. Release the cover of steamer slightly for a while before taking out the pau. Do not leave in steamer for too long as the water condensed from the cover will drip onto them.
18. Serve hot.

*Note: Always use warm water for making the dough.