Steamed Whole Wheat Pau with Spicy Potato Filling

               “Sending this entry to Ahlan Ramadan –The Healthy Way” 

No extra double action baking soda or any kind of softener or cake flour added to cause magical pillow soft effect. This is homemade practical pau and edible without side effects. If you are craving for something wholesome and healthy then this pau or improvised bun will satisfy your palate. I thought if pita bread could be fermented using yeast and cook on griddle, then why not change the cooking method to 'steam'. Don't skip the sweet potato in the dough as it works like a natural leavens. I love it but you could tweak the recipe by using sweet filling made of coconut, red bean paste or even pumpkin puree. Be creative and follow your instinct of what is best for you. I had leftover sweet potatoes so got the idea of turning it into cute little buns. Nothing went waste :) 

Steamed Whole Wheat Pau with Spicy Potato Filling

Ingredients for making whole wheat pau :

Whole wheat flour/ atta flour : 1- 1 1/2 cup
Instant dry yeast : 1/4 tsp
Steamed and mashed sweet potato (orange color) : 1/4 cup
Salt : a pinch
Sugar :1/4 tsp
Olive oil : 1 tbsp
Warm water : as needed

Ingredients for making spicy potato filling :

Medium sized normal potatoes : 3
Large red onion : 1
Coriander leaves : a small bunch
Chilli powder : 2 tsp or more
Olive oil : 1 tbsp
Water : 1/2 cup 
Roasted sesame seeds : 1/4 cup (for rolling)
Salt : as needed 

Dry Roast and Grind :

Fennel seeds : 1 1/2 tsp
Cinnamon stick : 1 1/2 inch piece
Cloves : 6

Method :

1. First, add whole wheat flour into a wide bowl with steamed and mashed sweet potato without any lumps. Mix them well.

2. Add 1/2 tsp of yeast, sugar and salt. Mix all the ingredients with sprinkle of warm water just enough to form soft dough. Be careful not to add a lot of water as mashed sweet potato has some moisture. Knead the dough for 10 minutes.

3. Let the dough proof for  40 minutes to 1 hour. In hot summer days, only 40 minutes is needed for the fermentation process.

4. In a pan, dry roast the spices under 'Dry Roast and Grind' section till golden brown and grind to smooth powder. Keep aside.

4. In a pan, pour a tbsp of olive oil, start frying finely chopped onion till translucent and after that, you may add finely chopped potatoes as well. Keep stirring for 10 min as we don't want the potatoes to burn at the bottom.

5. Add 1/2 cup of water, chilli powder, salt and spice powder. Mix well. Let it cook till water is fully absorbed and the potatoes are well cooked.

6. Lastly, toss in finely chopped coriander leaves and give it a quick stir. Switch off the flame and let it cool completely.

7. After 40 minutes to 1 hour, take the dough out when it doubles in size or have rich honeycomb texture. Keep kneading to punch the air out and add a tbsp of olive oil to avoid stickiness. Shape small size balls from the dough and stuff the prepared filling in it. Make sure you seal the top securely in order to avoid filling from spilling out. 

8. Roll each stuffed pau in a roasted sesame seeds until covered completely.

9. Steam the pau or bun in a steamer for 15 min to 20 min depending on the size of the pau.

10. Enjoy while its hot and fresh or with whatever filling you like.




-Abby