Red Bean Buns

豆沙包

Red bean buns, known as "dou sha bao" in Chinese, are a beloved delicacy in East Asian cuisine. These soft, pillowy buns are traditionally filled with sweet red bean paste made from adzuki beans, sugar, and sometimes a hint of salt. The tradition of using red beans in culinary creations can be traced back to ancient China, where adzuki beans were cultivated and cherished for their nutritional value and versatility. The earliest known mention of red bean buns dates back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), where they were first created as a humble street food snack. Today, red bean buns remain a cherished part of cultural celebrations, religious rituals, and everyday indulgences. Whether enjoyed fresh from the oven or steamed to perfection, these delightful buns offer a comforting and nostalgic taste.

For this recipe, we used the same steps and ingredients for the dough as our egg custard buns.

INGREDIENTS (12 buns):

• 1 teaspoon yeast

• ¼ cup warm water

• 1½ cups all purpose flour

• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

• ¼ teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons coconut milk

• 3 tablespoons milk

• 1 can of red bean paste

STEPS:

To make the dough, use the steps from our our egg custard bun recipe.

Once the dough has proofed and doubled in size, split the dough into 12 even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball, and use a rolling pin to flatten the dough into a circle.

Add a healthy amount of red bean paste, and pinch/fold the bun shut. Make sure there are no holes or gaps, and the bun is tightly sealed.

Place the buns on a sheet of parchment paper, and prepare your steamer. Let the buns steam for 12 minutes, and then let them sit in the steamer for another 5 minutes. During this step, DO NOT OPEN THE LID (or else the steam will escape).

Allow the buns to cool off and ENJOY!!

Red bean is a cherished flavor in Chinese cuisine, so it was only fair that we include a recipe for our favorite dimsum dish!