紫薯雙色饅頭 | Purple Potato Two-tone Steamed Buns
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紫薯雙色饅頭 x 再思「個人風格」
2010年 ｜ 香港人吃饅頭的習慣是把它當作一份不太起眼的點心。所以，當我第一次到北京，發現當地人以拳頭那麼大的饅頭代飯，不禁覺得詫異。饅頭有種獨特的幽香，可以配合很多菜式。
十年後，我回到北京讀書，饅頭成為日常主食。在飯堂裡，我會經常默默地觀察數以百計的學生從四方八面進來吃飯，聆聽他們的談話。有一次，當我正在咀嚼饅頭時，突然領悟為何中華文化以不同尺度看待個人風格。相比人口較小的國家，在一個有14億人口的國家生活，要脫穎而出就需要付出更多。對很多人來說，風格可能是種奢侈品。
直到今天，偶爾吃饅頭時，我會提醒自己：沒人留意你也不要緊，最重要的是不要迷失方向。
份量： 其他
所需時間：1 小時或以上
材料：
温水 30 克（40°C）
速溶酵母 3 克
白糖 60 克
中筋面粉 300 克
鹽 3 克
植物油 22 克
牛奶 150 克
紫薯粉 8 克
（10顆饅頭）
步驟：
你做過這道菜嗎？在下面留言，分享你的回憶吧！
Purple Potato Two-tone Steamed Buns x Musing on Individuality
2010 | In Hong Kong where I was raised, mantous (steamed buns) are served as an almost unnoticeable part of a large repertoire of dim sums. As such, on my first trip to Beijing, I was surprised to find mantous the size of a fist, consumed in lieu of rice. They were chewy with a subtle fragrance – a nice complement to other saucy dishes on the table.
A decade later, I returned to Beijing to study. Mantou became a staple in my diet, as that's what the canteen served. Often, in the canteen, I would observe the relentless streams of students filing in from all directions and listen to the humdrum of their conversations. Once, while munching on a mantou, I came to realise why individuality was valued differently in the Chinese culture: when you lived in a country of 1.4 billion people, it'd take twice the effort to stand out. Individuality could be a large investment, and not everyone could afford it.
Today, I continue to associate mantou with that moment of realisation, and to remind myself: no hard feelings if you don't stand out, but don't lose yourself in the crowd.
Serves: Other
Total cooking time: 1 hour or more
Ingredients:
30g warm water (40°C)
3g instant dry yeast
60g white sugar
300g all-purpose flour
3g salt
22g vegetable oil
150g milk
8g purple potato powder
(Makes 10 steamed buns)
Steps:
This is a translated recipe. Check the video according to the timestamps listed if anything is unclear!
[0:27] Add hot water into a bowl, put in the yeast. Add 1 tbsp from the white sugar you prepared. Combine well, set aside for 10 minutes for it to activate.
[1:20] In another big bowl, add the flour. Add the remaining white sugar. Add salt. Mix. Add the yeast mixture and vegetable oil; mix well. Slowly pour in the milk. Once mixed well, use hands to knead into a dough.
[3:19] Divide the dough into two. Put one of them into a bowl and cover it up to prevent dryness.
[3:34] Spread the other dough out a bit and add the purple potato powder. Sprinkle a bit of milk. Keep folding the dough inwards to seal up the powder. Use your palm to knead the dough and keep pushing outwards to spread the powder. Add the remaining powder and sprinkle some water or milk. Keep using your palm to knead for 15 minutes.
[5:11] Once thoroughly purple, form the dough into a cylindrical shape. Fold both ends inwards to form three layers, knead again. When the surface is smooth, seal the dough and make it round.
[6:03] Knead the white dough for 15 minutes. When ready, put both white and purple doughs into a bowl and cover them up for 15 minutes. They will raise a bit.
[6:50] Flatten the white dough and roll it out into a thin, rectangular layer. Place on baking paper to avoid it sticking to the table surface.
[8:16] Do the same with the purple dough. Once ready, sprinkle water on the white layer and stack the purple one on top. Use toothpick to remove air bubbles, if any.
[8:49] Trim the rough edges. Spread a bit of water over the top purple layer. Roll up the two layers tightly.
[9:54] Cut into 10 pieces of around 3cm thick each. Line each with baking paper. Steam for about 20 minutes.
Did you make this dish? Share your memory about it in the comment box below!