The Missus's Parents were nice enough to watch over Da' Boyz while we were away on vacation. And my MIL brought along a "new wrinkle" on this trip, as we had mentioned in this post…. Sheng Jian Bao! After hearing how much I enjoy(and I'm not the only one) Sheng Jian Bao (aka Sheng Jian Mantou, aka "SJB"), my MIL set about experimenting. And by the time they arrived, the results were quite good!
So I thought I'd document our one SJB making session. There is one caveat however, much like my post on Her Jiaozi, these are made using the senses, and not any set recipe. I'm fairly certain that you can use your handy dandy Mantou recipe (like this one from Eat.Travel.Eat!) and start with that.
So without further ado…….of course it all starts with yeast (a half envelop Fleischmann's).
And some sugar to make it "happy".
The water should be warmed to about body temperature (assuming that you don't have swine flu, of course).
My MIL adds flour by hand, without the use of a measuring cup, until it "feels" right.
If I recall correctly, (and she'll correct me if I'm wrong) She uses a mixture of Arrowhead APF and Bread Flour.
After achieving the correct texture, she covers the bowl, and lets the dough rest in a mildly warm area for 15-20 minutes.
After that period, the dough is pounded down, kneaded again, and it's off to another rest period.
After which it's time to get "rolling"…….
The one area where I actually do have a clue, is in cooking the SJB. You should have a pan heated to medium high heat. Add about 2-3 tablespoons(or more) of oil to the pan and swirl it around to coat. Place the SJB into the pan, and gently coat the bottom of the Bao in the oil.
Fry until the bottoms of the Bao attain a light golden brown color.
To get the Bao steamed, pour about one-third of a cup of water around the rim of the pan. Do not pour on top of the Bao, as this will ruin the texture. Cover immediately(watch out for the splatter) and let steam until water has evaporated. Add another one-third cup of water in the same manner, and cover. From what I've read, you can make this a slurry with some cornstarch if you want the Bao to stick together. Once water has almost evaporated, you can check to see if the SJB is ready. Gently touch the SJB; if the dough springs back into shape, the SJB are ready. Also, check the bottoms of SJB to make sure you've attained the desired crispness.
On this occasion my MIL made two different fillings, a pork with chive and scallion, and a chicken filling. Of course, I enjoyed the pork much more. I'm thinking that next time, adding a bit of pork aspic to the filling (a la XLB), will make these even juicier.
So there you have it.
But wait, that's not all! Did you notice something interesting in one of the photos above?
Yes, that straw mat………
I was told it's a traditional Jiaozi mat, and the Missus's Aunt brought it all the way from QingDao on a visit last year.
I was also told that using this mat makes Jiaozi taste "even better"!
And if this batch of Jiaozi, that the Missus's Mother made right after the SJB is any indication, I think they're right. It was some of the best I've ever eaten!
You won't get any argument from me…….
I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day!