This fall, chef Candy Argondizza will be teaching a number of culinary courses through Community Education at Central Oregon Community College (COCC). Sure to bring out the foodie in all, these courses are perfect for when the weather turns cold, and we want to huddle with family and friends in the kitchen. One of the courses she teaches is Asian-Style Steamed Buns, also known as Bao Buns. They are a delicious, warm, fluffy treat of stuffing wrapped inside a sweet, white dough. Attendees will be able to make their own leavened dough plus hearty fillings to stuff them with including ground pork, shiitakes, mushrooms, ginger, garlic and hoisin, and General Tso’s chicken. These are a Chinese delicacy to enjoy any time of year. Try making them yourself with this recipe provided by Chef Candy’s Ingredient Studio.
To learn more about COCC Community Education courses, go to COCC.edu/ce.
IngredientStudio.com
Recipe for Page 2:
Steamed Buns
Yield: 6 buns
These steamed buns can be filled with almost anything. For this recipe you’ll only need one cup of most fillings, just be sure the filling isn’t too wet. Try something unique like a Korean Bulgogi meat filling or go vegetarian with a miso carrot filling. The options are limitless!
Ingredients:
• 1 tsp. instant yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 Tbs. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/2 Tbs. canola oil
Directions:
1. In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over warm water until bubbles begin to form and the mixture becomes frothy.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and baking powder, make a well in the middle and add the active yeast, milk, and oil. With a large fork, combine the ingredients until a shaggy dough starts to form. Then with your hand, start kneading the dough until it becomes smooth, about 5-10 minutes.
3. Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic and place in a warm area for about 40 minutes to 1 hr. The dough will double in volume.
4. In the meantime, make whatever filling you want to use. You’ll only need about 1 cup of filling mixture for this size of recipe. Make sure that your mixture is cooled before forming the buns.
5. On a clean, lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a long cylinder and cut into 6 equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten each ball into 4-inch circles, leaving the center a bit thicker then the edges. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center of the dough and bring the edges to the middle pinching to seal.
6. Arrange the buns on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover them with a clean cloth. Allow the buns to rest for 10 minutes.
7. In the meantime, fill a steamer, bamboo or stainless, with a couple inches of water and bring to a boil. Place the buns on individual parchment rounds and place into the steamer. Be careful not to overcrowd the steamer, steaming in batches is necessary. Steam the buns for 12-15 minutes in the covered pot. Remove the buns from the steamer and serve warm.