Pang Susi (Savoury Sweet Potato Buns with Spiced Flavoured Minced Meat Filling)
A traditional bread bun made of sweet potato and filled with sweet and savoury minced meat, spiced with coriander powder and other spices.
This is one of many popular snacks among the Eurasians and Peranakans but sadly they are not commonly found in shops these days.
Makes about 30 – 35 buns
Filling 32 – 34 g for each bun
Dough 45 – 50 g for each bun
- 500 g sweet potato (steamed and mashed)
- 650 g bread flour
- 170 – 200 g milk (adjust to get right consistency)
- 3 egg yolks
- 130 g butter
- 40 g sugar
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 11 g instant yeast (1 packet)
- 1) If dough is too wet add additional bread flour (a spoon at a time).
- 2) If it is too dry add more milk (a spoon at a time).
- 3) Buy more sweet potatoes about 650 g so that you will have enough mashed sweet potato (after removing peel and cutting off ends).
- 2 eggs and 1 Tbsp melted butter or
- 2 – 3 egg yolks
- 500 g diced big onions
- 2 – 4 Tbsp chopped garlic
- 700 g minced pork or chicken
- 40 – 50 g coriander powder
- 8 – 10 g five spice powder
- ½ – 1 cup chopped parsley
- ½ – 1 cup chopped spring onions
- 40 g + 40 g candied winter melon, diced
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil for frying onions and garlic
- 2 ½ tsp black sauce
- 2 ½ tsp light sauce
- 4 Tbsp brandy or rice wine (optional)
- 10 – 15 g black pepper
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- 4 – 5 tsp concentrated chicken stock
- 1) Adjust the amount of seasonings and candied winter melon to taste. For my first batch I added 60 g + 40 g candied winter melon. But I reduced amount to 40 g + 40 g candied winter melon in second batch as my family members found it to be too sweet.
- 2) If using freshly grounded spices adjust amount as taste will be stronger. You could use spices like ground nutmeg, cloves and cinnamon.
- 3) Fillings can be made in advance and refrigerated.
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Steam sweet potatoes until soft, mash finely and set aside.
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In a cake mixer bowl, add milk, egg yolks, mashed sweet potato, sugar and salt. Mix well with the cake mixer.
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Add bread flour and instant yeast to the mixture and mix well.
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Add butter and mix thoroughly until it forms a dough.
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Cover the dough and set aside to rise for about one hour until it doubles in size.
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Note: You could also use a bread maker to mix the dough or hand knead the dough.
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Heat pan and add vegetable oil. Fry diced onions until translucent. Add chopped garlic and stir fry.
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Add minced pork or chicken and continue to fry.
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Add ground coriander and five spice powder and mix well.
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Pour in Mixture A and cook well. Lower flame.
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Add chopped spring onions and parsley.
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Finally 40g of diced candied winter melon, mix well and set aside to cool.
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Punch down the dough and transfer it to a floured rolling board.
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Cut to size and weigh each portion (45 – 50)g and set aside on a tray.
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Roll dough flat and place a heaped tablespoon filling in the centre of the dough. Place 2 pieces of diced candied winter melon in the filling.
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Fold the sides over and seal. Gently shape bun into an oval shape.
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Set aside the buns to proof.
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Brush with egg wash and bake in a preheated oven at 160 C for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.
- Alternatively, you could bake buns for 15 minutes first, then apply egg wash. Return buns to oven and bake forp another 5 minutes or until golden brown. It is better to use this method if you are using egg yolk as egg wash (so buns will not brown too quickly).
- You will notice from the video that the dough looks ‘wet’. I have adjusted the milk and sweet potato used in this recipe so that the dough is easier to handle and holds its shape better.
