SueDelicious Cookings: snack

This is an easy making bun which requires limited ingredients and simple procedures to follow, almost impossible to fail. This bun is pan-fried with some oil at medium low heat, so the outside of the bun tastes crispy. However, the inside of the bun is slowly cooked though during that time (like baking procedure), it tastes soft and fluffy. With sesame and green onion in every bite, it comes with unbelievable fragrance and flavor. You can have it go with a meal, eat as a snack or as breakfast.

Dough Ingredients:
1. 600 g all-purpose flour
2. 315 g milk
3. 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4. 2 tablespoons sugar
5. 1 teaspoon salt
6. 2 teaspoons Active Dry Yeast
7. 1 cup white sesame

Bun filling ingredients:
1. 3 cups chopped green onions
2. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3. 1 teaspoon salt
4. ½ teaspoon ground pepper

Directions:
1. Have all dough ingredients (Tip 1, except white sesame) mixed in the mixing bowl, mix them well and knead into a round and smooth dough (or using Stand Mixer dough hook to knead for about 15 minutes). Leave the dough in the mixing bowl covered with a damp cloth, and let it raise for 30 minutes.

2. Mix all filling ingredients in a small mixing bowl.

3. Cut the dough into small pieces, about 65 g to 70 g each. With a rolling pin, roll out the smaller dough to a oblong flat dough (about 6”x 7”), place one tablespoon green onion filling at one-third of the long side near your body (crossing the short side), brush the dough surface with some of the filling juice (leave the edge dry), start wrapping up the filling and rolling the dough from your body toward outside. Round the wrapped dough into a snail-like shape or gently tuck one end under another one. Place the snail-like dough on a surface generously dusted with flour or lined with parchment paper to raise for 30 minutes.

4. Heat up 2 tablespoons oil to medium low temperature in a frying pan. Place white sesame in a plate, pick up the raised dough while holding both ends together, dip in the sesame to have both sides covered with sesame, then place it in the frying pan. Fried until one side is turning golden brown, flip over to another side and continue frying at medium low. When second side is turning golden brown, gently press the bun with a spatula to see if the inside is still soft. If both sides are brown but the inside is still not firm enough, lower the heat to let it stay in pan for another few minutes to make sure the dough inside is thoroughly cooked. You can also pick up the bun with a pair of tongs and roll the bun vertically at bottom of the pan to have siding slightly browned as well. Remove and place it on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Do 3 or 4 buns each batch, add oil if needed.

See the layers inside the bun!

Tip 1: Keep 20-30 g milk and add in gradually while kneading. Various brands of flour may need different quantity of liquid. Adjust flour and milk quantities until you can have a soft and smooth dough.

Sweet potato, this sweet vegetable loaded with many good nutrients, is in season now. Last weekend, we went to a Sweet Potato Festival in the adjacent town, of cause we have to bring home some freshly picked sweet potatoes. After having roasted and boiled sweet potatoes, I decide to make some muffins out of it, for a change.

Ingredients for Sweet Potato Muffin with Walnuts:
1. 1/2 cup cake flour
2. 1/2 cup self-rising flour
3. 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5. 1/8 teaspoon salt
6. 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
7. 2 eggs
8. 3/4 cup sugar
9. 3/4 cup cooking oil
9. 1-1/2 cups meshed sweet potato
10. 2 tablespoons honey
11. 1/2 cup raisin
12. 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:
1. Combine item 1 through 6 in a bowl, sift and set aside.
2. Beat eggs and sugar, until the egg mixture becomes creamy white.
3. Alternate adding in the cooking oil and the sifted dry ingredients. Mix well after each addition.
4. Mix meshed sweet potato and honey well with a pastry blender. Add the sweet potato in to the batter and mix well.

5. Add raisin and ½ cup walnut, mix well. Using a big scoop to fill the batter into the muffin pan lined with cupcake liners. Add more pieces of walnut on each muffin batter.