The other day after a trip from Sobey's we couldn't get in the driveway because there was some sort of panic involving cops and firemen and a tow-truck. So we just kept driving down the hill and I decided that we should hit the little Korean convenience store and pick up some beans to make some red bean buns. I'd bought some frozen there a while ago and they never got anymore in, so I looked up recipes. Most said to go buy red bean paste but if you're gonna make something for the first time, go all the way.
Of course after we got the beans we had to go back up to Walmart (that being my 4th trip of the day) to pick up a steamer and some more baking ingredients.
I can see why all but one recipe called for the paste, since it took 2 days to make! Soak the beans in water for a day, then boil them for 2 hours, then drain and repeat, then chill with cool water, drain and repeat, then completely strain, then cook again in a pan with arse-loads of sugar. We made way more than we needed, so now that's frozen and jazz and will be easier for next times.
Then it was all kinda standard dough making stuff, mix, kneed, rise, cut, shape, fill with beans, fold it up, rise some more, then cook time. We had more dough than would fit in the steamer, so we baked two of them that finished quicker. They were a pretty good crispy pastry with a sweet innards of red been paste. But the steamed ones are fantastic! Instead of crisping, they sort of cook slower and more even and turn out as this weird spongy, chewy consistency that doesn't make sense unless you've had them.
They turned out like this:
They are fairly great, and super filling. One doesn't look like much but it's enough.
