Dousha buns

Addictive dousha with buns

After cooking a pot of very delicious mung bean paste (dousha), I almost made a meal out of it! It reminds me of Proust’s lost flavor, in this case mung bean rather than madeleine.

I chose this bun recipe because the soft, fluffy bun pairs perfectly with the sweet, savory paste with umami flavor.

To keep it soft with a tender crumb, lightly cover the warm buns with muslin so that it does not loose too much moisture through its steam. Alternatively, do the shortcut and glaze with melted butter so a soft crumb.

Makes 12 big buns.

Ingredients :

Water roux :

30g bread flour

150g cold water

Bread dough dry ingredients:

370g bread flour

30g whole wheat  flour

70g sugar

30g milk powder

1 tbsp instant yeast / 11g

1/8  tsp fine salt

Bread dough wet ingredients:

1 egg, about 40g ( whole weight )

160g cold water

70g cold butter, cubed

Filling :

Dousha paste, 12 portions ( 1 ice cream scope each )

Method :

Prepare water roux. Mix bread flour and water. Cook until it reaches 65C, stirring continuously. The roux should congeal and form lines with the whisk. Cool, covered.

Now prepare the dough. Combine all the dry dough ingredients in the mixing bowl.

Combine the cooled roux, egg, water.

In the bread machine, add to the dry ingredients the wet component and butter. Set the machine to dough mode, 1.5 hr or until dough doubles.

If you are making by hand, knead combined ingredients to form a dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes. Transfer to an oiled bowl and let it ferment, covered.

Transfer the dough to a floured worktop. Knead lightly.

Make out 12 portions. Roll into little buns.  Rest the buns for 10 minutes.

Flatten and encased the dousha with the prepared dough.

Mist spray the buns, leave to ferment for another 10 minutes.

Just before baking, mist spray one more time.

Bake in a preheated oven at 210C for 12 minutes.

Glace with melted butter for a softer crumb.

Teochew style dousha

Dousha means “bean paste” in Mandarin. Teochew and Hokkien folks call it “Dausha” and is the term most used to refer to this product in the market place.

This recipe is for those who love onions in everything and anything. Mum was Teochew and this was something she could make very well.  

Decades later, I still yearn for the tasty umami tasting paste that is good for eating with everything. Except for households that still make it, I have yet to see it available commercially.

Makes slightly more than 2 cups.

Ingredients :

2 cups dried mung mean, soaked for at least 2 hrs and drained

¼ cup oil ( from frying shallots )

¼ cup fine sugar

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp fried shallots

Method :

Steam the beans , on a muslin, over high heat for at least 30 minutes.

Beans are ready when each bean can be crushed between 2 fingers.

Transfer steamed beans to a worktop. Use a rolling pin and crush the beans, a small batch each time.

Warm up the shallot oil. Pour over sugar and salt. Mix.

Combine beans, oil, sugar, salt, shallot.

There you have it - your very own dousha!

To test if the consistency is right, pinch some of the mixed dousha. If  it holds together and does not crumble or break apart, it is ready for use.