Steamed Bao with Otak-otak and Luncheon Meat crabstick filling ~ Hankerie

This is my the other so called traditional steamed bao with the conventional round shape and pleads on top. The specialty of these bao is that using Otak-otak (- a cake made of fish meat and spices). It is widely known across Southeast Asia especially in Muar - Johor, where it is traditionally served fresh, wrapped inside a banana leaf. I used the frozen pack of otak-otak, steamed and cool it, set aside.

For the variety of the filling, I also used the leftover luncheon meat from dinner last night, mix with crabstick as Bao's filling. This give you an unique savoury taste in the combination of soft and fluffy of bao's texture.

Traditional Steamed Bao

See Hankerie's recipe below,

For plain bun:

400g Hong Kong Flour
90g icing sugar
30g butter (try to avoid using shortening as it's not good for health)
10g baking powder
10ml cold water
7g instant dry yeast
160ml lukewarm water
½ tsp white vinegar

For Otak-Otak/ Luncheon Meat crabstick Fillings:

100g frozen otak-otak
50g fried luncheon meat (Cut into cubes)
6 crabstick meat

Method

Split evenly for all the otak-otak and luncheon meat crabstick filling. Set aside.
Sift together flours and icing sugar. Place sifted flour mixture in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the middle.
Fill well with lukewarm water and yeast. Add on vinegar.
Use a spatula, gently stir the water to dissolve the yeast then slowly bring together flour mixture.
Add in butter and knead for 10-15 minutes until soft dough is formed.
Cover dough with damp cloth and let it rise for 30 minutes or until it is doubled in size. I used bread maker’s dough mode to prepare my dough up to this step.
Dissolve baking powder in cold water, sprinkle over dough and knead until well combined. Divide dough into 16 equal portions and flatten with a rolling pin to make a 3” circle.
Then place the filling in the middle, wrap and plead the top, seal side up.
Arrange buns into a steamer, leave about 1” gab in between buns. Spray water mist over buns, and steam in a preheated steamer on high heat for 12 minutes. Remove buns from steamer and cool on rack to prevent soggy bottom.