Jjinppang: steamed buns filled with red bean paste

Every day I like Asian food more, and today I invite you to prepare a recipe that since I tried it I fell in love with: it consists ofsteamed fluffy buns filled with a red bean pastethat is incredibly tasty. It is a traditional Korean recipe, very easy to make and I hope it surprises you as much as it surprised me.

I know that one of the things that generates the most curiosity and that people are eager to try from Asian culinary culture are those perfect buns and dumplings that always hide some delicious secret inside. So I hope thesetraditional Korean jjinppangencourage you to try making them at home.

Both the bean paste and the steaming of the bunswe make in a pressure cooker, so you save a lot of time, you don't need an oven, and they turn outsuper soft and fluffy.

What do you say? Will you give them a try? I assure you that steamed jjinppang, served hot with that fluffiness, is irresistible! In addition, they are very versatile, as they can be served as dessert or a snack or to accompany a starter or a fish dish.

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

• 150 g azuki beans (red beans)
• 125 g brown sugar
• 1 pinch of salt for the bean paste
• 15 g fresh yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 250 g wheat flour
• ½ teaspoon salt for the dough
• 125 ml milk
• 1 tsp oil
• a little butter for the filling.

Preparation

Prepare the bean paste for the filling:

1. Add 600 ml of water to theWMF Premium pressure cookerand bring to a boil.
2. Meanwhile, rinse the beans under water in a colander, drain and add the red beans to the pot.
3. Close with the lid hermetically, set pressure level two and let the beans cook for about 45–50 minutes from the moment the pressure ring rises (we want them very soft).
4. After the cooking time, turn off the cooker and let it release pressure on its own. When you can open it, remove from the heat, drain the beans and transfer them to a large bowl.
5. Mix with the sugar and a pinch of salt, and beat or mix vigorously with a whisk with ball tips until the sugar has fully incorporated and the beans have broken down (beat so they turn into a paste).
6. Return the bean paste to the pot and heat uncovered. We want them to boil for a few minutes to evaporate the liquid they've released or retained, until only a small amount of water remains.
7. Reserve the bean purée in a bowl and let it cool. Stir occasionally.

Note: A key or charm of this recipe is to leave some larger bean pieces. Finding them in a bite of the bun gives it a delicious traditional homemade touch.

Dough preparation:

1. In a bowl, mix the fresh yeast, the sugar and 1 tablespoon of flour in a bowl. Let rest 5 minutes.
2. In a glass or bowl, warm the salt and oil with the milk a little (we don't want it to burn, just to get slightly warm).
3. In a large bowl, add the dough you made with the yeast, the warm milk and the rest of the flour. Knead for about 5 to 10 minutes, until you create a smooth dough (it will be much more effective with the KitchenAid mixer, using the hook attachment). When you have the fine dough, cover with a cotton cloth and let rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes.
4. After time has passed, it will have risen. Remove the dough from the bowl and transfer it to a floured surface. Roll with a rolling pin and cut into about 8 to 10 portions.
5. You should make 8 to 10 flat circles (about 8 cm in diameter each). Use the rolling pin to roll the circles, starting from the center and extending the dough toward the edges.
6. It's time to apply the filling: spread approximately 1 teaspoon of the reserved bean paste in the center of each circle, and then close each one, forming small balls. You must firmly bring together the edges of the dough.
7. In the steam accessory of the pressure cooker, place a piece of parchment paper, and place the balls you've prepared on it (they won't all fit because they'll grow, put only 4 or 5 in this first batch), leaving space between them and with the dough seam facing down (that is, the smooth side of each dumpling should show). Cover with plastic wrap or a cotton cloth and let rest about 30 minutes. Keep the remaining balls covered with plastic wrap so they don't dry out.
8. In thepressure cooker (clean, after cooking the beans), put the bridge (the legs) of the steam accessory and add water to the pot (enough to reach about 2 cm in height - no more, it should not exceed the height of the bridge). Put on the heat and bring to a boil.
9. Brush the dumplings with melted butter gently, without applying pressure.
10. When the water in the pot is hot and being careful not to burn yourself, place the steam accessory in the pot, resting on the bridge. Close the cooker and heat on high until it reaches cooking level 1. Leave for two minutes and turn off the heat, and let the balls steam with the residual heat for just 3 to 5 minutes.
11. Release the cooker steam and open it. Remove the dumplings made in the pressure cooker and repeat the process with the remaining reserved balls.

I hope you enjoy the recipe - remember that jjinppang is best eaten hot, so you can serve it shortly after taking it out of the pot.