Red Bean Buns

Ingredients

• 350 g wheat flour
• 1 sachet baker's yeast
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200 g sugar
• 200 ml water
• 1 tsp sunflower oil
• 250 g azuki red beans
• salt

Method

Red Bean Buns Method

The defining move here is the bread-dough fermentation that gives the bun its lift and tender crumb. Start by soaking the azuki beans overnight — this hydrates the seed and kickstarts enzyme activity that softens the cell walls. Next morning, boil them hard for five minutes, then discard the water and rinse thoroughly. This removes the bitter compounds and saponins that coat the beans. Return them to fresh water and simmer for 90 minutes to two hours until they collapse under gentle pressure. You want them fully tender, not chalky. Drain well, then blitz to a smooth paste — add a splash of water only if the paste refuses to move. In a wide, heavy-bottomed pan, combine the paste with 150 g caster sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The moisture will gradually evaporate as the heat drives off water and concentrates the bean flavour — this takes roughly 10 minutes. Watch the bottom of the pan; when the paste pulls away cleanly and leaves a dry trail, it's ready. Tip it onto a plate to cool.

While the paste cools, build your bread-dough. Whisk together the flour, remaining 50 g caster sugar, salt, baking-powder, and the yeast in a large bowl. Add the water gradually and bring the dough together. Knead for five minutes — you're developing gluten structure that traps gas from yeast-fermentation. Rub in the oil, then knead again for two minutes. Cover and rest for one hour at room temperature. The dough should increase visibly in volume as the yeast ferments and produces carbon dioxide.

Once risen, divide the cooled bean paste into six portions and roll each into a tight ball. Knock back the dough with your fist to expel gas, then knead briefly. Divide the dough into six equal pieces and roll each into a ball. Flatten each into a disc roughly 12 cm across — the edges should be thinner than the centre, which prevents the seam from bursting. Place a bean ball in the centre, then fold the dough edges up and over, pinching and rotating until sealed. Place seam-side down in a lined bamboo steaming basket. Let the baos rest for ten minutes — they'll puff slightly as residual fermentation continues.

Steam for 20 minutes over boiling water. Once cooked, turn off the heat but keep the lid on for another five minutes; this prevents the sudden temperature drop from causing the surface to dimple and crack. The buns are done when the dough is pale, slightly glossy, and springs back when poked.