Steamed Buns (with Azuki Bean paste filling)

http://the-cooking-of-joy.blogspot.com/2009/01/by-popular-request-here-is-my-moms-hua.html

I love anything steamed, especially Chinese steamed buns.  I grew up eating Mantou 饅頭 and drinking soy milk.   I could eat Mantou everyday and never got tired of it.  I remember how I liked to put a hot, freshly steamed Mantou in the palm of my hands and how I loved the smell of it...

The recipe noted above is one for Hua Juan (Flower Bun), I consider it a more fancy Mantou.  Mantou has no filling in the centre, it's just a white plain steamed bun.  Hua Juan uses the same dough, but the dough is twisted to make it look prettier.  Some would put chives or cooked ham as garnish.  I took this recipe for Hua Juan for the bread dough and used a can of sweet Azuki bean (red bean) paste as the filling.  The fresh steamed buns are so incredibly soft and they smell wonderful... and they are absolutely delicious.  

Instead of using the sweet Azuki bean paste, you can try a meat and vegetable filling (like the one used for dumplings), mixed vegetables or mixed mushrooms... I can't wait to try to make more of these.