How to make Purple Sweet Potato Chinese Steamed Buns/Mantou (馒头) which are pillowy soft, fluffy and has a sweet aroma of sweet potato

Mantou (馒头) or Chinese Steamed Buns is a type of steamed bread which is popular in Northern China.

There are many variations of mantous be it plain, sweet or savory. You can even try out my steamed scallion flower bun.

Steamed Scallion Flower Buns

For this post, I am sharing with you a sweet purple coloured mantou. Don't worry, this is a natural purple colour from purple sweet potato.

This recipe is adapted from Boon's Secret Recipe 2 under 'My Wife's Signature Pumpkin Mantou'. I substituted the pumpkin with purple sweet potato as I happened to have it. 

Well, overall, this mantou is pillowy soft and very delicious.

Purple Sweet Potato Mantou
Recipe adapted from Boon's Secret Recipe 2 with minor modification

For those who are interested in simple and easy budget meals, local kuih-muih, desserts and snacks, you should get all his 3 series which come in handy whenever you want a comfort and warm meal for your family.  I have no regrets adding these 3 series to my existing cookbook collection.

Ingredients A:
- 500g purple sweet potato (pared off the skin and cut into small pieces)
- 480ml water (keep this water after boiling it with potato)
- some pandan leaves
Ingredients B :
- Sweet potato water from ingredients A
- 250g caster sugar
- 1 kg all purpose flour
- 1 sachet dried yeast
- 3 tbsp softened butter

Method for ingredients A - mashed purple sweet potato :-

1) Boil ingredients A over medium heat for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and discard pandan leaves. Keep the sweet potato water (for ingredients B).

2) Remove sweet potato into a basin or big bowl and mash it.

Method for ingredients B dough - (please take note I used bread machine):-

1) Put in mashed sweet potato and all the ingredient B except butter as per your bread machine instruction.

2) Press dough function and let it knead.

3) When the dough is smooth, add in butter and continue the kneading process.

4) Let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

5) Take out the dough and lightly hand knead it. Divide the dough into pieces according to your preferred size.

6) Roll and shape the dough any shape you like. I shaped it into buns.

7) Place the shaped buns on a greaseproof paper and let it rest for 15 minutes.

8) Steam over rapid boiling water over high heat for 13 minutes.
9) Serve warm.

Serve warm for breakfast or tea 

These mantous have sweet aroma of sweet potato 

This is recipe is a keeper. Try it and you will know what I mean. 

Note :
1) If dough is too dry, add a bit of water or if too wet, sprinkle some flour onto the dough.
2) You can freeze the steamed buns and re-steam the frozen buns (about 3 minutes) whenever you crave for it.

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An Easy peasy recipe on how to make a popular Chinese vegan dim sum dish which is deliciously gluten-free and it's none other than Steamed Daikon Radish Cake 萝卜糕

This simple yet delicious classic radish cake 萝卜糕 is suitable for vegetarians and vegans

Daikon Radish cake 萝卜糕 is a popular Chinese dim sum dish. The main ingredient of this steamed cake is daikon radish as its name implies. (To me, I think white radish, winter radish, oriental radish, long white radish are in fact the same humble daikon radish. Correct me if I am wrong). You can easily get daikon radish in wet market or in any Asian grocery stores around the world. Daikon radish cake 萝卜糕 is a savory treat made with daikon radish, spices and rice flour which is steamed, sliced and pan-fried to perfection so it has thin crunchy crispy layer on the outside, but soft and tender on the inside. It is easily available in any of the dim sum restaurants in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan as well as overseas China town restaurants. Besides, it is commonly eaten during Chinese New Year, since radish (菜頭, chhài-thâu) is a homophone for "good fortune" (好彩頭, hó-chhái-thâu) in Hokkien. Over here in Malaysia, we have radish cake for breakfast as well as yum cha.

For this post, I am making steamed daikon radish cake which is suitable for both vegetarians and vegans.

Ingredients :

- 500gm daikon radish (peeled and finely shredded)

Batter : (Combined into batter)
- 250gm rice flour
- 3 tbsp tapioca flour
- 400ml water

Seasonings : (to taste - you can add or omit any of these seasonings)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp preserved cabbage powder (vegan cooking powder)
- 1/2 tsp five spice powder

- some cooking oil
Method :

1) Combine batter ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

2) Heat some oil and stir fry shredded daikon radish until soft. Add in seasoning to taste. Keep stir frying until mix well.

3) Reduce the heat to low and slowly pour in the batter and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.

4) Transfer the mixture into a greased steaming pan and steam at high heat for about 45 minutes or until cooked (you can test it with a skewer- if the skewer comes out clean then it's thoroughly cooked)

5) Allow the cake to cool completely before removing from the pan and cut into your desired size.

6) Pan fry the cake until crispy and golden brown on all sides. Serve it with your favorite chili sauce

Yummy to serve it warm

Crispy and crunchy on the outside

but soft and tender on the inside

Steamed Daikon Radish Cake萝卜糕 is my favorite and I can eat few slices in one go!!!

Try this hearty delightful treat and impress your family members and friends..... cheers

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Sorry to inform that for the time being, I have disabled comment box as I won't be able to return visit to my fellow bloggers who are kind enough to drop me a line or two. The comment box will be enabled when I am not so tied up with my work schedule. However, you may contact me by leaving your message or comment at SIMPLY BEAUTIFUL AND HEALTHY LIVING FACEBOOK. My sincere apologies for any inconvenience caused. Thanks for visiting my blog and have a nice day :) 

Pumpkin Waffles... is it comparable to True Belgian Waffles?? You judge ...

I still have some pumpkin left and I decided to do something different. Pumpkin Waffles, yes, that’s right. However, I chanced upon a waffle recipe from Taste of Home which have in fact captivated me instantly. I have wanted to try it immediately. It’s True Belgian Waffles, but what about my pumpkin puree??? ... Eh..., I can actually add pumpkin puree to this recipe, right? However, I have no idea how a True Belgian Waffles really taste like; without the addition of pumpkin. So, is there anyone who have tried this True Belgian Waffles without any modification? Anyway, I will do this waffles again without the pumpkin puree and will update you all on this.

Overall, I can tell you, this pumpkin waffles is really very very yummylicious and my girls and hubby giving all thumbs up for this. They prefer this pumpkin waffles to the normal waffles version which hubby used to make for us.  Hubby enjoys making pancakes and waffles for us on weekends and holidays and usually we would wake up to the sweet aroma of his bakes feeling so blessed and loved :)  Now hubby wants to bake this version instead of his usual ones, hahaha...

Recipe source : Taste of Home (with some minor modification in red)
Ingredients :
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar (I used ½ cup)
- 3.5 teaspoons baking powder (I used 1 tsp double acting baking powder)
- 2 eggs, separated
- 1.5 cup pumpkin puree (steamed and slightly blended)
- 1.5 cups milk
- 1 cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon McCormick® Pure Vanilla Extract (I omitted)
- Sliced fresh strawberries or syrup, honey

Yield : 14 mini waffles

Directions :

1) In a bowl, combine flour, sugar and baking powder.
2) In another bowl, lightly beat egg yolks.
3) Add pumpkin puree, milk and butter; mix well.
4) Stir into dry ingredients just until combined.
5) Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.
6) Grease preheated waffle iron with butter and bake according to manufacturer's directions until golden brown.
7) Serve with strawberries, maple syrup or honey.

It’s great to serve this waffles warm with maple syrup or honey

Top it with your favourite fresh fruits....

Isn’t this a very satisfying and heartwarming breakfast for your family??

Do have an enjoyable week!

I am submitting this post to "My Treasured Recipes #3 - Taste of Autumn (Oct/Nov 2014)" hosted by Miss B of Everybody Eats Well in Flanders and co-hosted by Charmaine of Mimi Bakery House.


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