Today I’m excited to finally post yet another variation of mantou! When I was a kid, I absolutely loved the canned, super sweet, hardly-any-bean-flavor red bean paste from the Asian market. But times have changed! Now I make these red bean steamed buns entirely from scratch with homemade bean paste that’s naturally sweetened with dates and oil-free. I can feel even better munching away knowing that lots of beans = lots of protein and fiber stuffed inside!

Red Bean Steamed Buns 豆沙包

Makes 12 

For the dough: Halve this recipe

For the filling:

Ingredients

• 8 oz dried adzuki beans
• 8 medjool dates, depitted (or more depending on sweetness preference)

Directions

1. Soak the adzuki beans for at least 6 hours. Boil for 60 minutes or until fully cooked. (The longer you soak the beans, the less time they need to cook. Also, when boiling, check periodically that the beans remain submerged; add water as needed.)
2. Meanwhile, chop the medjool dates.
3. After the beans are cooked, puree them in a food processor with the dates in batches. (Note: Reserve the liquid from boiling and add it to the puree as needed for a smooth, paste-like consistency.)

To assemble:

1. Stretch the dough into a long cylinder and cut it into 12 pieces. Flatten the pieces into circular disks and roll each out to make a bigger, thinner circle. Note: Make the center of the circle slightly thicker than the edges.
2. Spoon some of the filling in the center of the dough circle and pinch the edges together to seal the filling inside the dough in a circular fashion. This step is identical to making baozi.
3. Invert the filled ball so that the sealed side is facing down. Cusp it between your palms and move your hands in opposite directions so that the ball rotates. Use this motion to smooth out and shape the ball. Note: You want to shape the ball to be slightly taller since it will flatten some during steaming.
4. Once all of the dough pieces have been filled, let them proof for 20 minutes. Then steam for 20 minutes. (Refrigerate or freeze extras and for best results, re-steam for ~5 minutes before enjoying again. Quick method: microwave under a damp cloth for ~1 minute.)