Jin Pang or Korean Steamed Buns/ Chinese Bao

I have cravings for specific Korean foods sometimes.  Today, it was Jin Pang or Korean steamed bread also known as Chinese steamed buns or bao. 

It's been a LONG time since I made this recipe, probably 10+ years now.  These are plain buns, which are actually my favorite.  You can make these with a filling, usually a sweetened red bean paste or something savory.  In the above pic, some of the buns turned out more wrinkled than others and I'm not sure if it's because I didn't knead the individual dough balls long enough or not, but they still taste good!

Some bao recipes are much sweeter, but I tend to like the less sweeter buns- I didn't grow up eating the sweet kind. If you prefer a sweeter bun, just add more sugar.

Jin Pang/Chinese Bao:

5 cups  All-purpose flour
2 packs Active dry yeast
2 1/2 cups Hot water (not boiling)
1- 3 Tablespoons Sugar
1 teaspoon  Salt
1 Egg

 Makes about 12 to 20 buns depending on size

This is a one bowl recipe.  In a large bowl, mix hot water with yeast and sugar.  Allow the yeast to become frothy. 

Once yeast is ready, add salt, flour and egg.  Mix well until it forms a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for about an hour. 

Once the dough as doubled, punch down and cut into individual pieces of dough, approximately a little larger than a golf ball. You can also make them bigger! Make sure flour is on hand; the dough tends be wetter and sticky. Flour a clean surface and knead the individual dough balls for about 10 to 15 minutes or until each balls are nice and smooth. Place onto a lightly floured cookie sheet and cover with a kitchen towel.

 

Allow the dough balls to rise a second time, about 20 to 30 minutes.  In the meantime, prepare your steamer.  Line your steaming rack or bamboo steamer with a wet cheesecloth that has been doubled up or a clean piece of cotton fabric like muslin. Steam buns for about 10 to 15 minutes.  The buns will puff up as they steam and firm up.  Cool buns on a moistened kitchen towel laid on top of a wired cooling rack.  Make sure the towel is moist, otherwise, the buns will stick. 

My favorite way to eat the plain buns are fresh from the steamer with lots of butter!!  The steaming forms a chewy skin on the buns, which was always my favorite part as a kid.  Like I said, these aren't sweet, but can be easily sweetened with more sugar!  Enjoy!