Tuna Kimchi Steamed Milk Bun

This is an extension of my earlier steamed milk bun recipe - in a bigger portion and with a delicious sesame kimchi tuna filling😋 One wonderful point which I liked about this recipe was the buns remained soft even when they were cold. Therefore, this made it suitable to serve as sandwiches with cold filling 😍

Yield: 9 small buns

Starter

5g plain flour plus/plain flour

5g water

1g instant dry yeast

10g natural yeast, 100% hydration*

* natural yeast can be replaced by 5g each of plain flour and water

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together into a smooth paste, and let it stands in room temperature for about 45 to 60 minutes, or till the paste filled with air bubbles.

INGREDIENTS

120g plain flour plus/plain flour, unbleached

100g cake flour, unbleached

20g fine sugar

1g instant dry yeast

2g baking powder

20g multigrain soy pulp*

Starter from above

100g milk, cold

10g egg white

30g water, to be added depending on dough condition

about 1/2 tsp rice bran oil, for coating the dough

Some potato starch for coating the shaped dough

* multigrain soy pulp can be replaced by about 10g milk. Multigrain soy pulp was made up of organic soy beans, almonds, red kidney beans, black beans, split green peas, walnut, pumpkin seeds, mung beans and pandan leaf.

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix plain flour plus, cake flour, fine sugar, instant dry yeast, baking powder in a mixing bowl.

2. Gradually stir in the starter, multigrain soy pulp, cold milk, egg white and water. Stir in one direction till the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Knead and add the remaining liquid ingredients slowly till it forms into a big lump.

Coat the dough surface with about 1/2 tsp of rice bran oil, cover, and place in the mixing bowl to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Knead the dough into a smooth dough. The dough is relatively harder and less moist than bread dough. A stiffer dough will allow the bun to keep its shape after steaming.

4. Divide the dough into 9 portions, about 42g each. Let the dough rest for about 10 minutes before shaping into smoother and slightly elongated dough balls again.

Coat the shaped dough with a thin layer of potato starch.

Place the shaped dough over a small piece of paper. Cover the shaped dough with a towel, and let them proof for about 60 minutes.

60 minutes later, the shaped dough is puffier.

5. Steam the buns over boiling water in a steamer for about 10 minutes. When buns are about done, you can smell the nice aroma of bun. Turn off the heat, without opening the lid, let the buns simmer for about 5 minutes.

End of simmering.

Transfer the buns to cool down over a wire rack. Try to keep the buns in closed container or rice cooker to prevent the skin from drying up.

6. Serve the buns warm or cold 😋

Tuna Kimchi Filling

Ingredients

1 can tuna flakes in sunflower oil

1 small bowl of kimchi, drained and cut into smaller bits

2 tbsp fresh black fungus, cut into strips

1 clove garlic, chopped finely

2 tbsp green scallion, cut into short rings

1 tbsp coriander leaves, cut into bits

Seasoning

some sesame oil

some roasted sesame seeds

raw sugar to taste

Salad

Some mung bean sprouts, blanched

1 mini cucumber, seeded and cut into strips

Directions

1. Drain and cut kimchi into small bits. Set aside.

2. Drain tuna flakes and mix with chopped garlic.

3.  Combine the cut kimchi to the tuna-garlic mixture. Add sesame oil and raw sugar to your desired taste.

4. Combine cut black fungus to the kimchi-tuna mixture.

5. Finally, mix in the cut green scallion, coriander, and roasted sesame seeds.

Kimchi-tuna filling is ready 👍👍

Making the sandwiches

1. Slice the steamed bun into half leaving one end attached.

2. Stuff the mung bean sprouts and cucumber strips, followed by the kimchi-tuna filling to steamed bun. 

Ready to enjoy 😋