Bapao

 

Ingredients:

Dough

• 400 ml Water
• 400ml ≈ 13.5oz. Temperature should be 110ºF / 44ºC
•  14 g Yeast
• 2 packets of yeast
•  4 tbsp Granulated Sugar
•  1 kg All-purpose Flour
• 1kg ≈ 2.2lbs
•  1 pinch Salt
•  3 Large Eggs
• Meat Filling
•  750 g Ground Beef
• 750g ≈ 1.7lbs
•  2 Large Onions
•  5 Garlic Cloves
•  25 g Butter
• 25g ≈ 1.75tbsp. You can use oil as well
•  Salt to Taste
•  Pepper to Taste
•  1 tbsp Ginger powder
•  1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
•  3 tbsp Ketjap Manis

Equipment

•  Stand Mixer with Dough Hook
•  Kitchen Towels for Covering the Dough / Bapao while Rising
•  Bench Scraper
•  Electric Steamer, or Steamer insert for your pan or wok
•  Cookie Sheets
•  Kitchen Scale
• Making the dough

Method:

Make the dough:

1. Make sure your water is between 43ºC and 46ºC. Add the 4tbsp of sugar to the water, and stir to dissolve. Add the yeast, and gently mix. Let this stand for  10 Minutes

2. After the yeast had time to activate for 10 minutes, sift the flour and salt into the bowl of a stand mixer.

3. Put the bowl on your stand mixer, and attach the dough hook. Turn it on low, and add in one egg at a time, until all the eggs are added.

4. Add the water and yeast mixture, and let the stand mixer knead the dough until it forms a smooth ball. You may have to scrape the edges of the bowl from time to time.

5. Remove the dough from the bowl, and lightly oil the bowl. Add the dough back in, and cover with a damp towel. Let it rise for  1 Hour

Make the filling

1. While the dough is rising, grate the onion using a box grater, or a food processor.

2. Using a Microplane, grate the garlic cloves.

3. Heat the butter up in a pan over medium-high heat.

4. Once the butter is melted, cook the onion/garlic mixture until the onions turn glassy.

5. When the onions are glassy, add the ground beef, and season with salt and pepper. While you're cooking the beef, break it apart, and stir it so the onions, garlic, and beef are thoroughly combined.

6. When the beef is cooked, add the sugar, ginger powder, and ketjap manis. Stir to combine.

7. Take the pan off the heat, and transfer the meat to a bowl to cool off.

Knead the Dough

1. After your dough has finished rising, flour your work surface lightly

2. Take the dough out of the bowl, and knead it for a few minutes to develop the gluten.

3. Shape it into a ball, and return to the greased bowl.

4. Cover with a damp towel, and let it rise in a warm space for  30 minutes

Filling and Shaping the Bapao

1. While the dough is rising, prep your work surface. You'll need a scale, a bench scraper, and a few cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, as well as one or two additional damp towels.

2. When the dough is done rising, take it out of the bowl, and weigh it. Divide the weight by 24: that's how much dough you should use for each bapao!

3. Divide the dough evenly into 24 balls, and cover them with a damp towel to prevent them from drying out. If you have done this a few times, and you work fast, you won't have to do this.

4. Roll out a dough ball, and put the flattened dough into your non-dominant hand. Make a cup with your hand.

5. Add a generous tablespoon of meat to the center of the dough.

6. Pinch the center together, then bring the sides to the center, and pinch the seams. You'll end up with a "cross" made from the seams. (Check out the video at 10:42)

7. Bring the ends of the "cross" to the center, and pinch everything together.

8. Roll the ball of dough on the work surface, to shape it into a nice ball. Pinch the bottom again, for good measure! Put the ball on a cookie sheet, and cover with a damp towel.

9. Repeat for all 24 dough balls.

10. Let the dough balls rise for another  20 minutes

Steaming the Bapao

1. While the Bapaos are rising, it's time to set up your steamer. I use an electric steamer, but you can use a large pan or wok with a steamer insert as well.

2. When the Bapaos are done rising, place them into your steamer with space in between, as they will get bigger while steaming. Steam them for  25 minutes.

Plating

Traditionally, Bapao is served with a little bit of sweet chili sauce on the side. I have been known to eat them with a dab of sambal and ketjap manis also!

Source: Toine's Kitchen